By Shavonne Walker

shavonne.walker@salisburypost.com

ROCKWELL — A man who falsely reported an abduction faces felony drug possession charges.

David Paul Wilhelm, 38, was charged Thursday with felony possession of methamphetamine, possession of drug paraphernalia, driving while license revoked and displaying a fictitious tag.

A Rowan County Sheriff’s Office deputy met with Wilhelm at Emmanuel Church and Old Beatty Ford roads. Wilhelm was in a Nissan, and the deputy noted in a report that the license plate on the vehicle was registered to a Ford.

Wilhelm was sweating profusely, the deputy reported. The officer determined that there had been no abduction and noted there was a 9 mm handgun in the vehicle’s cupholder. The deputy asked Wilhelm to secure the weapon.

Wilhelm gave the deputy consent to search his vehicle, and the deputy found a syringe in the passenger side door. A search of Wilhelm turned up a red bag in his pocket with a substance believed to be crystal meth inside. The deputy also found 50 rounds of ammunition in Wilhelm’s pocket.

Wilhelm was in possession of half a gram of methamphetamine, the deputy reported.

Wilhelm was issued a $4,000 secured bond and was released from the Rowan County Detention Center.