UNC junior freed on bail

A UNC student arrested Friday on several drug-related charges in Wilmington was released Monday on a $25,000 bond following his initial court appearance.

Dan Paustian, a 21-year-old junior, was arrested Friday after police received information he and another man would be selling cocaine, said Lucy Crockett, spokeswoman for the Wilmington Police Department.

“The Vice Unit developed some information that Paustian and another guy who got arrested at the same time and place had come into Wilmington to distribute cocaine,” she said.

Police arrested Paustian, of Charlotte, and Weston Darfler, 21, also of Charlotte, at 1054 South College Road, the location at which police believed the pair would be distributing cocaine.

The address is listed as the location of the restaurant Katy’s Great Eats.

Darfler was arrested on charges of felony possession of cocaine and misdemeanor possession of drug paraphernalia.

The arrest report indicated that Darfler is a student at Midlands Technical College in Columbia, S.C., Crockett said.

Paustian was charged with felony possession of cocaine with intent to sell or deliver; felony manufacture, sale or delivery of Schedule II drugs; misdemeanor possession of marijuana and misdemeanor possession of drug paraphernalia.

Paustian and Darfler were held at the New Hanover County Detention Facility until their Monday court appearances.

Paustian was initially held on a $300,000 bond before the amount was reduced to $25,000 after his court appearance.

Crystal Williamson, an officer with the Wilmington Police Department, said that cases involving drug trafficking often feature exceptionally high bonds in the immediate aftermath of an arrest.

“You could probably kill somebody and get a cheaper bond than that,” she said, of Paustian’s initial $300,000 bond.

Darfler was released without bond, according to a New Hanover County Sheriff’s deputy.

Paustian was arrested in 2008 and charged with affray and resisting arrest, but those charges were later dropped, according to Orange County court documents.

Kim Brattain, Paustian’s mother, said the case was dismissed because it was determined that Paustian was trying to break up, rather than participate in, the fight.

Brattain declined to comment on any other details of Paustian’s situation, saying her son’s attorney has advised her not to comment.

Contact the University Editor at udesk@unc.edu.