3 arrested in Chapel Hill drug bust

A drug bust Friday exposed nearly 60 grams of cocaine, 33 pills of the sedative Klonopin and 19 marijuana plants.

The trials for the three men arrested for the drug-related charges were continued to later dates Tuesday in Orange County Superior Court.

Isaac Peter Wilson, 26, was arrested Sept. 3 for eight felony drug charges, one misdemeanor drug charge and a felony weapons charge after the Chapel Hill Police Department narcotics team raided his apartment at 220 Elizabeth St., according to police reports.

Senior Assistant District Attorney Lamar Proctor said Wilson is still in custody of the Orange County Jail in lieu of $110,000 secured bond. His case was continued to Sept. 13.

Two men who were at the residence at the time of the bust were also arrested for drug charges.

John Yurkanin, 30, was arrested with felony possession of 59.3 grams of cocaine and drug paraphernalia.

Tyler Howard O’Briant, 26, faces the same charges, plus a charge for attempt or conspiracy to commit a controlled substance offense.

The cases of Yurkanin and O’Briant, both out of custody, were continued to Oct. 8, Proctor said. They were released after posting bonds of $5,000 and $10,000 respectively.

Lt. Jabe Hunter, head of the police narcotics division, said a drug investigation that began Aug. 24 culminated in the raid around 5 a.m. Friday.

“It was initiated through a drug investigation based on information we received,” said Hunter, who explained that searches are often the result of tips from anyone from uninvolved citizens to informants.

Hunter said the drugs will be held as evidence until trial, after which they will be incinerated.

Police department spokesman Lt. Kevin Gunter said the amounts of drugs found at the residence are considerable compared to typical drug offenses.

“Fifty-nine grams of cocaine is substantial,” Gunter said. “There were 19 plants being grown on the second floor of the apartment.

“This is a substantial drug arrest for us here in Chapel Hill.”

Neither Yurkanin nor O’Briant’s addresses are listed at the Elizabeth Street residence, but Gunter said the two were included in the cocaine possession charges because police officers had reason to believe the two had knowledge of the drugs.

But Yurkanin’s parents, John and Susan, said their son doesn’t do drugs and didn’t know about the narcotics at Wilson’s apartment.

“That person invited him down to play video games when it was broken into by narcotics,” said Susan. “The guy kept telling (the police), ‘John knows nothing.’

“There were no drugs on him. There were no drugs in his car.”

Yurkanin’s parents said this isn’t their sons first run-in with narcotics investigators.

Susan said about a year ago, police searched the apartment her son shared with a man he worked with for drugs.

“They didn’t arrest him last time because there was nothing to arrest him for,” she said.

Susan said she and her husband, who visited their son Monday, are prepared to fight the case.

“He used to work in a law office so he’s probably not as stressed as I am,” Susan said. “We’re furious.”

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