Rock Hill police: Anonymous tip leads to drug distribution charges

An anonymous tip about drug use in a residential community led to a Rock Hill man’s arrest on drug distribution charges, according to police.

Officers received an anonymous complaint about recent drug activity on the 600 block of Rose Street.

They went to the address Wednesday and smelled marijuana while walking through the hallways of the apartment complex, according to a police report. They knocked on the door and Joseph Emmanuel Lawson answered.

When asked why there was a strong odor of marijuana coming from his apartment, Lawson said, “I don’t know, there isn’t any marijuana in here,” the report states. He gave police consent to search the home.

Police say there was a jar with marijuana residue in plain sight on a night stand in Lawson’s room, and that he directed them to more marijuana in a drawer. Officers found 40 grams of marijuana inside, along with 34 dosage units of Xanax, for which Lawson didn’t have a prescription.

Lawson was charged with possession with intent to distribute marijuana, possession with intent to distribute marijuana in proximity of a playground, park or school, possession with intent to distribute a schedule IV drug and possession with intent to distribute a schedule IV drug in proximity of a playground, park or school.

This story was originally published September 1, 2016 at 11:13 AM with the headline "Rock Hill police: Anonymous tip leads to drug distribution charges."