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Police charge Oak Street man with sex offense, dealing pot

The Hendersonville Police Department in conjunction with the North Carolina Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force charged a 28-year-old Hendersonville man with sexual exploitation of a minor and running a marijuana manufacturing operation at his North Oak Street home.

Charged was Gabriel Zagazeta, of 211 N. Oak St.

The investigation was initiated at the request of a member of the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force in Minnesota. Detectives with the police department worked alongside investigators with the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation and investigators with the Department of Homeland Security to identify the suspect.

Last Thursday Hendersonville police officers along with the partnering agencies executed a search warrant at the Oak Street home and found evidence of the exploitation of a minor along with evidence of a marijuana manufacturing operation, the police department said in a news release.

On Monday police detectives met with District Attorney Newman and reviewed the investigation. It was determined that Zagazeta would be charged with three counts of third degree exploitation of a minor; manufacturing a schedule VI narcotic; possession with the intent of sale and delivery of a schedule VI narcotic; maintaining a dwelling for the purpose of use or sale of a controlled substance; and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Zagezeta was arrested Monday and jailed on a $48,000 secured bond. This investigation is ongoing. Additional charges may be obtained at a later date. If anyone has information regarding this case they are asked to contact the Hendersonville Police Department at 828-697-3025 or Henderson County Crime Stoppers at 828-697-STOP.