VALDOSTA — A suspicious vehicle call led Valdosta Police to a drug trafficking arrest and narcotics seizure.

Release:

Officers investigate a call for a suspicious vehicle, which results in an arrest for trafficking methamphetamine.

On May 28, 2026, at 10:30 am., a citizen working at a business in the 1700 block of Norman Drive called E911 to report a suspicious vehicle parked in the parking lot. The caller told the E911 dispatcher that the vehicle had been parked in the same spot for a couple of hours. The citizen further stated that the car was parked across several spaces, was still running, and the windshield wipers were activated.

When a Valdosta Police Officer arrived, he observed James Luke Grantham, 39, who appeared to be asleep in the driver’s seat of the suspicious vehicle. After the officer woke Grantham, he quickly noticed that Grantham appeared to be under the influence of some type of narcotic. Grantham also had a device commonly used for smoking narcotics, lying beside him.

Inside the vehicle, officers found 123.5 grams of methamphetamine, 2.3 grams of psilocybin mushrooms, 20.3 grams of marijuana, and numerous pills. Officers also found currency and tools that are indicative of narcotics sales.

Grantham was arrested and taken to Lowndes County Jail. He has been charged with:

• Trafficking methamphetamine-felony;

• Possession of methamphetamine with the intent to distribute-felony;

• Possession of marijuana with the intent to distribute-felony;

• Possession of a Schedule I or II controlled substance with the intent to distribute-felony;

• Possession of a Schedule II controlled substance-felony;

• Possession of drug-related objects-misdemeanor; and

• Drugs not in original container-misdemeanor.

“We are grateful that this citizen called 911 when they saw this suspicious vehicle in their parking lot,” said Chief Leslie Manahan. “Then the officers did a great job noticing narcotics paraphernalia, which led them to further investigate. Because of their thoroughness, dangerous narcotics were kept out of our community.”