NASHVILLE - Two Wilson teen-agers appeared Tuesday here in court to answer charges that they were trafficking large amounts of ecstasy into Eastern North Carolina. 

Nash County deputies and Rocky Mount police combined to confiscate about $35,000 worth of ecstasy during an undercover campaign that culminated this past weekend.  This is one of the largest ecstasy seizures in the Twin Counties - if not the largest, authorities said. 

Ricky Gene Watson Jr., 19, and Daniel Vernon Sheridan Wallace, 17, both were charged with a myriad of trafficking violations, and both remain in the Nash County jail - Watson under a $400,000 bond, and Wallace under a $140,000 bond. 

"It's an up-and-coming problem, although you do hear more about it in college towns," said Nash County Sheriff Jimmy Grimes.  "It's important for people to see how available these drugs are.  And from this amount we've seized, it shows how available they are."

The investigation into Watson and Wallace started about two months ago, Grimes said, and undercover officers bought ecstasy from Watson on two separate occasions - once buying 150 pills and another time purchasing 200 pills. 

On Friday, Watson and Wallace sold 600 ecstasy pills to officers, bringing the total number of pills that law enforcement officers confiscated to 950 pills. 

Along the way, Nash County deputies and Rocky Mount police received assistance from the police departments in Kinston and Wilson, as well as the Dare County Sheriff's Department, the N.C.  National Guard narcotics unit and state revenue agents. 

Ecstasy, its scientific name is methylenedioxymethamphetamine, or MDMA, is more well-known in North Carolina cities like Greenville, Raleigh and Chapel Hill, where a higher number of college students live.  But law enforcement officials say ecstasy use in other areas is on the rise. 

"I think it's more of a youth drug than an adult drug," Grimes said.  "You hear people talk about crack and powder cocaine and heroin - this drug is just as bad."

Watson was charged with three counts of trafficking ecstasy by possession, two counts of trafficking ecstasy by sale, two counts of trafficking ecstasy by delivery, two counts of trafficking ecstasy by transportation and one count of conspiracy to traffic ecstasy. 

Wallace was charged with trafficking ecstasy by possession, trafficking ecstasy by transportation, conspiracy to traffic ecstasy and maintaining a vehicle for the purpose of storing a controlled substance.  After the two suspects were arrested Friday in Rocky Mount, Wilson police searched their homes and found more drugs and a shotgun at Watson's residence.  Wilson police confiscated 17 grams of marijuana, 51/2 grams of powder cocaine and the shotgun, with its serial number scratched off. 

Wilson police charged Watson with possession with the intent to sell and deliver marijuana and cocaine, possession of cocaine, sale and delivery of cocaine, altering a serial number on a weapon and two counts of maintaining a dwelling for the purpose of storing a controlled substance. 

Grimes said he expects more arrests in this investigation. 

"We're trying to move up to their supplier," Grimes added.  "You don't just buy that amount every day. 

"Anybody who could come up with 600 pills could certainly come up with a lot more from their supplier - whoever that might be."

Watson also has an extended criminal past that includes two years probation for two 1998 convictions of breaking and entering in Wilson County. 

In addition, Watson has numerous pending charges against him. 

He is charged with common law robbery and assault with a deadly weapon, stemming from an incident involving his girlfriend at a Sharpsburg motel.  Watson is accused of beating her with a pistol and stealing some money from her while the couple was at the Starlight motel on U.S.  301, a Sharpsburg police spokesman said. 

His court date is set for July 11 in state District Court in Nash County. 

Watson also is charged with driving while impaired, driving after consuming alcohol by someone younger than 21 and speeding.  He lost his license for 30 days after this arrest. 

His court date for these charges is July 19 in Nash County.