Authorities say a 18-year-old Kannapolis man with an extensive criminal history had drugs hidden in his rectum when he was placed in the Rowan County jail for violating probation.
Brandon Lee Rumple, of Carter Street in Kannapolis, had his probation revoked in Rowan County Superior Court and was brought to the jail for processing, the Rowan County Sheriff’s Office said in a statement.
“Once in the facility, Rumple was informed that he would be strip searched.  Rumple refused, but eventually agreed to surrender to authorities what he had.  Rumple removed a balloon from his rectum area.  Rumple was questioned about the contents of the balloon and he readily admitted that it was Xanax and Suboxone strips, both controlled substances,” the statement said. 
Xanax is used to treat anxiety and panic, while Suboxone is used to treat opioid dependency. Rumple asked a sheriff’s office investigator if he would be charged with possession with intent to distribute the Suboxone, since each strip was in an individual bag.
Investigators later discovered that the balloon contained six broken tablets of Xanax and 11 Suboxone strips, each in an individual bag.  Rumple was transferred to the North Carolina Department of Corrections and will be charged with possess with intent to distribute Soboxone and possession of controlled substances in a local confinement facility, both felonies. 
Rumple has numerous charges pending in Rowan and Cabarrus Counties, including a June 29 incident where witnesses said he shot at two people with a 380 handgun during a dispute at his house. 
Shell casings were recovered from the scene and the gun was seized from a safe inside the house.  On July 2, Rowan investigators executed a search warrant at the home and charged Rumple in connection with the shooting and possession of firearm by felon.  At that time, Rumple was placed under a $50,000 secured bond, and his bond was revoked from a previous probation violation.   
Rumple has pending heroin trafficking charges in Cabarrus County from an arrest on April 19, 2012, in which more than 200 grams of heroin was seized during a search of an apartment in Charlotte.
On Oct. 1, 2012, Rumple was arrested at the Rowan Recycling Center at 1455 Julian Road in Salisbury while working community service. Authorities say he attempted to discard 6.7 grams of heroin in a Porta-Jon at the facility after deputies received a report of a drug sale involving someone matching Rumple’s description at the location. 
An additional 3.7 grams of Methadone and $415 in United States currency were found in Rumple’s possession, authorities say.  Rumple was charged with trafficking heroin. The charge is pending Rowan County Superior Court.
Rumple was convicted in January 2012, in Cabarrus County of delivery of a controlled substance.