Noble Man Arrested On Drug Charges Following Foot Pursuit

A Noble man was arrested for the possession of illegal drugs after leading Cleveland County Sheriff's deputies on a foot pursuit in Norman Wednesday afternoon.

Gregory Clark Cates, 46, was booked into the Cleveland County Detention Center on drug complaints, according to the Cleveland County Sheriff's Office.

Authorities said at around 3:45 p.m. Wednesday, a deputy stopped Cates'1995 Pontiac in the 1900 block of Alameda Street for speeding and inoperable equipment. However, as deputies conducted the traffic stop, they noticed an odor of marijuana and asked Cates to step outside the vehicle. Cates admitted to smoking marijuana and pulled a small amount of the illegal drug from his pants pocket.

According to the sheriff's office, Cates gave the marijuana to the deputy and then fled on foot. He was found a short time later and was taken into custody.

Authorities said deputies discovered a black bag in the car that contained about one pound of marijuana, about four grams of methamphetamine, and ten generic Xanax tablets. Deputies said they also found other drug paraphernalia associated with possible illicit drug sales, as well as $757 in cash.

"That one arrest ensures that those drugs will never make it to the streets and into the hands of another person," Sheriff Joe Lester said.

Cates admitted the drugs belonged to him during an interview with deputies. He was charged Thursday in Cleveland County District Court with a felony count of unlawful possession of controlled drug with intent to distribute, and unlawful possession of drug paraphernalia, a misdemeanor.