A major federal drug bust in Catawba County has just led to the discovery of over 160 lbs of meth, fentanyl, and cocaine, as well as over $377,000 in cash, according to the Catawba County Sheriff’s Office (CCSO) and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).
The investigation began earlier this year when CCSO’s Narcotics Division launched an operation targeting several suspected drug traffickers in western North Carolina. As the case unfolded, a CCSO investigator assigned as a task force officer with the ATF facilitated multiple controlled drug purchases, prompting federal agents to adopt the case.
On October 23, 2025, ATF agents and local task force officers executed a federal search warrant at a residence in Granite Falls. During the raid, investigators arrested Kenneth Travis, 40, of Granite Falls, and seized a significant quantity of illegal drugs. The search uncovered 133.6 pounds of methamphetamine valued at $454,500, 28 pounds of cocaine valued at $429,100, and 2.9 pounds of fentanyl valued at $39,000. In total, the seized narcotics weighed 164.5 pounds, with an estimated street value of more than $922,000.
Officers also confiscated $377,981 in cash, bringing the total value of the operation’s seizures to over $1.3 million.
Travis faces multiple charges, including conspiracy to traffic methamphetamine, seven counts of trafficking methamphetamine, and two counts of maintaining a dwelling or vehicle for drug distribution. He is being held at the Catawba County Detention Facility under a $1.2 million secured bond, with a court date set for November 13, 2025.
A second suspect, Oderia Dante Glaspy, 48, of Hickory, was also arrested and charged with conspiracy to traffic methamphetamine, two counts of trafficking, and one count of maintaining a dwelling or vehicle for drug sales. Glaspy remains in custody on a $450,000 secured bond, with the same court appearance scheduled for November 13.
Authorities say additional state and federal indictments are expected as the case develops.
The investigation involved multiple law enforcement agencies, including the ATF, North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation, Burke County Sheriff’s Office, Caldwell County Sheriff’s Office, and police departments from Hickory, Maiden, and Newton.
