Rural County Teamwork 

June 26, 2026 – Tuolumne County Sheriff’s Office officials report that following a months-long joint investigation into the sales of methamphetamine throughout Amador, Calaveras, and Tuolumne Counties, the Amador County Combined Narcotics Enforcement Team (ACCNET) and the Tuolumne Narcotics Team (TNT) arrested 35-year-old Joseph Jerry Lecompte on June 23, 2026, following a traffic stop on Highway 49 near Tuttletown.

Detectives located approximately 296 grams of methamphetamine (more than 10 ounces), drug packaging materials, digital scales, cash ($1,372.00), and a loaded semiautomatic handgun in Lecompte’s vehicle. Lecompte is prohibited from possessing firearms. A passenger in the vehicle, 42-year-old Melissa Anne Manning was cited for possession of methamphetamine and released.

View video here.

Detectives then executed a search warrant at Lecompte’s residence in Columbia resulting in the discovery of a second loaded handgun and additional methamphetamine. Detectives also contacted two juveniles (aged 13 and 8) who were alone at the residence. The firearm and narcotics were found in areas readily accessible to the children, resulting in additional child endangerment-related charges.

Lecompte was booked into the Dambacher Detention Center on numerous felony charges, including possession of methamphetamine for sale, transportation of a controlled substance for sale, prohibited person in possession of a firearm, possession of a loaded firearm while in possession of a controlled substance, and child endangerment.

The investigation remains ongoing, and additional charges may be pursued as detectives continue to review evidence collected during the operation. The Tuolumne County Sheriff’s Office extends its appreciation to the Amador County Combined Narcotics Enforcement Team (ACCNET) for their partnership and collaborative efforts in disrupting narcotics trafficking and enhancing public safety throughout the region.


Source & photo: Tuolumne County Sheriff’s Office