Sports Blog
By

Bailey Johnson /

CBS News/ November 3, 2011, 9:42 AM

Jeremy Mayfield had meth, guns and $100k in stolen goods

Jeremy Mayfield arrested for meth, guns and stolen goods

Jeremy Mayfield and recovered firearms

/ WBTV
(CBS/AP) - Police in Catawba, North Carolina went to former NASCAR driver Jeremy Mayfield's house on Tuesday night with a search warrant to follow up a tip that there might be stolen property on the house. What they found was a trove of illegal goods, including methamphetamine, forty firearms and nearly $100,000 worth of stolen goods.

Mayfield was arrested on possession of methamphetamine, but the latest reports reveal what else officials found on the scene.

The Lincoln County Sheriff's Office told CBS affiliate WBTV that detectives found dozens of guns, 1 ? grams of meth and a number of items that had been reported stolen from a trucking company in Lincolnton, N.C.

The firearms ranged from antique guns to high-powered rifles. The guns are currently being run through the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Fireams and Explosives gun tracing system to determine if any were reported stolen.

The stolen goods included heavy machinery, scrap metal, welders, engraving machines and electric motor components.

All the goods were reported stolen by two trucking companies: Lee Boy Inc. and Larry Grant Inc.

Tom Weese, of Lee Family Real Estate, LTD, told WBTV that roughly $65,000 worth of items were stolen from his business last year. He recovered most of his goods Tuesday night after Mayfield's arrest.

"To me they were just thieves," Weese told WBTV. "They just wanted to steal stuff."

The investigation is still ongoing, and Weese believes there will be more arrests to come.

"It wouldn't even be possible for one man to conduct an operation like this," he said. "It's unbelievable that the operations they had going on down there."

Mayfield was suspended from NASCAR indefinitely after failing a random drug test in May 2009. The result stemmed from a test at Richmond International Raceway.

The driver's career began in 1994, and Mayfield posted multiple top-ten finishes throughout his career. His best year was 1997, when he finished 13th in total points driving for former Ford executive and NASCAR team owner Michael Kranefuss.

Following his suspension, Mayfield denied reports that he was using illegal drugs and claimed the results of this test were not accurate. In unsuccessful legal challenges, he claimed the results turned up positive because he took over-the-counter allergy medicine and Adderal for his Attention Deficit Disorder.

Mayfield is currently out of jail on a $3,000 bond.

© 2011 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved.
9 Comments Add a Comment
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blindersoff says:
I'm local (Charlotte) and at the time comments on the newspapers site had a lot of people angry that NASCAR was infringing on his "rights". Though they are a private company and he was a meth head driving over 100mph in their equipment around the other drivers. He didn't get fired, he was suspended and didn't come back.
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tarheelsunc says:
Mayfield had FOUR seasons (1998, 1999, 2004, 2005) that were unquestionably better across the board than his 1997 season. That's not even counting his 2000 season when he won 2 races, or 2003 when he was competitive when the car would hold together but the car repeatedly broke down due to major reliability issues. HORRIBLE fact checking.
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MRHANEY4500 says:
3000.00 BOND ??? MY BOND WAS 15000 FOR SOMEONE DROPPING AN UNTITLED SALVAGE BOAT ON MY BOAT LOT BOAT VALUE $0000
COST ME 65.00 TO GET SHUT OF IT AT A LAND FIELD...

WHO WAS HIS LAWYER..?
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whatdoesthatmean says:
Forty weapons, illegal drugs, and $100,000.00 worth of stolen goods and he is out on a $3000.00 bond. It is good to live in North Carolina!
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standaman25 says:
A natural post-retirement end for all NASCAR inbreds.
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jimatmadison says:
Guns, meth, NASCAR, and stolen goods.

That's southern 'culture' at its finest.

Yee Haw!
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stolenweapon says:
http://www.stolenweapon.com/
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hsinco-2009 says:
All NASCAR drivers should have to take drug tests!
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m_eavey39 replies:
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Hsinco-2009, All Nascar drivers do take drug tests....how do you think they caught Jeremy Mayfields drug abuse and fired him? By using a drug test....