A Salisbury couple remain in the Rowan County Detention Center today following charges of possession of methamphetamine and conspiracy. One of them is an employee of Catawba College.

The Rowan County Sheriff’s Office and the SBI began looking into allegations that Robin Lee Guest, 50, was receiving packages of meth “ice” through the U.S. Postal Service from California and then distributing the drugs in the Salisbury area.

Guest, who worked in housekeeping at the college, lives at 130 North Park Drive, in property owned by Catawba College.

He was charged Tuesday with four counts of trafficking in methamphetamine by sale and possession, three counts of possession of methamphetamine, three counts of sale of methamphetamine, five counts of maintaining a residence for keeping and selling controlled substances and two counts of conspiracy to sell methamphetamine. 

Authorities said Guest used wire services to send the money to California in order to pay for the drugs.

The report says Guest was assisted in the operation by his girlfriend, Melanie Ann Pruitt, 38, also of 130 North Park Drive. 

Pruitt was found hiding in a closet at the home and arrested. Guest was arrested while working at the college.

Pruitt was charged with two counts of conspiracy and one count of resist, delay and obstruct a public officer.  Guest was issued a $250,000 secured bond and Pruitt received a $21,000 secured bond. 

On July 17, July 26, Aug. 25, Sept. 8, Sept. 22 and Oct. 9, investigators working undercover were able to buy large amounts of methamphetamine from Guest. On at least two occasions, authorities said, the transactions occurred at Guest’s home.

A total of 155 grams of meth, valued at $31,000, was seized. During the course of the investigation officers received assistance from Catawba College, Salisbury Police and High Point Police.

Officials said during this investigation, there was no indication or evidence found that indicated there was any involvement by other Catawba College staff, or any Catawba College students.

Catawba College spokeswoman Tonia Black-Gold said this is an ongoing legal proceeding and the college has and will continue to cooperate with law enforcement.

“At this time, Robin Guest’s employment with Catawba College has been suspended while we are reviewing this matter,” Black-Gold said.

Pruitt has been convicted of a number of misdemeanor offenses including driving while impaired, larceny by employee, financial card fraud, larceny, driving while license revoked, possession of drug paraphernalia.   

She was also convicted of felony credit card theft, in 1998 of felony drug possession and felony drug possession in 2001 and 2002.

Guest was convicted in 1993 and 2001 with felony possession of a controlled substance while in Santa Clara, Calif. He spent four months in prison for the 1993 conviction and was ordered to three years of probation. It is not clear what sentence Guest was given for the 2001 conviction.

Contact reporter Shavonne Potts at 704-797-4253.