By: Deirdre M. Daly
U.S. Attorney for the District of Connecticut

The President has designated January as National Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Connecticut continues to prioritize human trafficking offenses, which are among the most heinous crimes the Office prosecutes. Federal prosecutors focus their resources on prosecuting the sex trafficking of minors, but also investigates cases involving the sex trafficking of particularly vulnerable adults and labor trafficking.

In November 2015, we announced the formation of the Connecticut Human Trafficking Task Force. The Task Force is composed of special agents from Homeland Security Investigations, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the U.S. Department of Labor; investigators from the Connecticut State Police; officers from 16 police departments throughout the state; and representatives from State’s Attorneys’ Offices, and is led by Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarala V. Nagala, Deputy Chief of the Major Crimes and National Security Unit, and Assistant U.S. Attorney David Novick, Chief of the Financial Fraud and Public Corruption Unit.

In recent history, the Office has prosecuted 28 defendants for violations of the human trafficking laws, and in 2016, indicted or obtained guilty pleas from five defendants for sex trafficking. In 2016, in separate cases, Jordan Anate and Romane St. Christopher McKenzie were each sentenced to 10 years in federal prison for engaging in the sex trafficking of minors. In another case, Ramon Gomez pleaded guilty to sex trafficking of a minor in a case where the 17-year-old minor died from an overdose of heroin that was supplied by Gomez.

Members of the U.S. Attorney’s Office routinely participate in trainings for law enforcement officers, hospital workers, school groups and community organizations regarding human trafficking. In January 2017 alone, prosecutors will take part in hotel worker training sponsored by the Connecticut Lodging Association, law enforcement training at the Connecticut Police Officer Standards and Training Academy, and hospital worker training at St. Francis Hospital in Hartford.

Today, as part of National Human Trafficking Awareness Day, I and other members of my Office wore blue in conjunction with the Department of Homeland Security’s Blue Campaign, to stand in solidarity with victims of human trafficking worldwide. The U.S. Attorney’s Office thanks our governmental and non-governmental victim services providers, including the Department of Children and Families and the International Institute of Connecticut, for the critical work they do to help individuals transition from victims to survivors.

Human traffickers, particularly those who prey on children, exploit the most vulnerable segments of our society. We will continue to devote significant federal resources to investigate and prosecute those who profit from the abuse and exploitation of our children.

One person has been arrested in connection to the weekend break-ins that occurred at the Bladenboro Car Wash and the laundry mat. Bladenboro Police Chief Chris Hunt said the investigation into what occurred is still ongoing.

Madison Cheshire, 20,  has been charged with injury to personal property, failure to appear on a misdemeanor and breaking into a coin/currency machine.

At about midnight on Saturday night, a vehicle occupied by a male and a female drove into the car wash in Bladenboro and the male used a sledgehammer to break open a coin box there.

The vehicle then traveled to the laundry mat where the pair damaged coin boxes there as well.

The Bladenboro Police Department is still searching for the male suspect. If you have any information regarding his identity or whereabouts, you are asked to call the Bladenboro Police Department at 910-863-3333.

Sheriff James A. McVicker today announced the arrest Thursday of Christopher Blake Carroll, 25, of 1350 Suggs Taylor Road, Elizabethtown for the December 28 th breaking and entering of a residence in the 7000 block of Burney Road, White Oak.

Carroll stole several weapons from this residence and investigators have been able to recover one of those weapons and have leads on the location of the others. Carroll was charged with Felony Probation Violation, Obtaining Property By False Pretense, Felonious Breaking and Entering, Felonious Larceny After Breaking and Entering, Felonious Possession of Stolen Goods, 3 counts of Felonious Larceny of a Firearm and 3 counts of Felonious Possession of a Stolen Firearm. He was additionally charged with Possession of a Firearm By a Convicted Felon. Carroll had a first appearance in District Court in Elizabethtown on Friday and his bond was set at $90,000.00 secured.

“I am glad we were able to make an arrest in this case,” said McVicker. “Property crimes are a high priority for my investigators. We know that this type crime might not be glamorous to work but we know the impact it has on the victims. My investigators get a lot of satisfaction from solving a case like this and recovering property. To come home after working all day and finding your home entered and your property stolen is devastating. It is a very personal violation. My investigators will continue to work to prevent and solve these crimes.”

By Erin Smith

A second arrest has been in the investigation into the break-in that occurred shortly after midnight Saturday. Brandon Jackson, 23, of Robeson County was arrested on Friday morning, according to Bladenboro Police Chief Chris Hunt.

Jackson is facing charges of breaking and entering, larceny after breaking and entering, possession of burglary tools, damage to property, and damage to a coin/currency machine.  Chief Hunt said that Jackson was also on probation during the commission of this burglary.

Arrested earlier in the week was Madison Cheshire, 20. She is facing charges of breaking and entering a coin/currency machine and two counts of injury to personal property.

At around midnight on Saturday, Jackson and Cheshire damaged and broke into the coin machines at the Wash and Dryve car wash in Bladenboro and the Bladenboro Laundry Mat. Chief Hunt said on Friday that the duo is accused of breaking into and/or damaging a total of seven coin/currency machines.

“We would to thank the Robeson County Probation and Parole and the Lumberton Police Department for their assistance,” said Chief Hunt.

He added the Bladenboro Police Department appreciate all of the tips that were received on Facebook. Chief Hunt said the citizen’s tips helped to quickly resolve this case and bring these individuals to justice.

“As long as the citizens of Bladen County cooperate with us, hopefully, we will be able to keep criminals deterred,” said Chief Hunt.

Sheriff James A. McVicker announced today his office had investigated two separate incidents of threats made against schools in Bladen County, one through Social Media accounts and one word of mouth.

“Last Wednesday night, January 18^th, we received information that several students from West Bladen High School had received Instagram messages to stay away from school because of an act of violence that would be committed the next morning,” said McVicker. “Once we received this information we worked with Dr. Robert Taylor and the faculty at West Bladen to insure the absolute safety off all students and staff. We had several officers at the school before it opened and we put every student through a metal detector.”

McVicker said investigators worked with the Federal Bureau of Investigation to track down the Instagram account and IP address it came from. All students who received the message were questioned and this investigation lead to the arrest of a juvenile on Friday, January 20^th.

The 15 year-old was charged through a juvenile petition with Making a False Report Concerning Mass Violence on Educational Properties, a Class H Felony punishable by 10 years in prison if an adult.

Juvenile officers served the juvenile and placed him under electronic house arrest pending a hearing.

On Friday night, January 27^th, the Sheriff’s Office once again received a report of a second threat against a school, this time Bladenboro Middle School. These threats were also threatening violence at a school. Investigators worked through the weekend and again uncovered the person responsible for the threat, another 15 year old juvenile. This second juvenile was charged with the same charges as the first juvenile and is also under electronic house arrest pending a court hearing.

“We had additional officers at the school Monday morning as a precaution but had no further trouble and again no students or faculty were ever in danger. “These kids need to understand that technology is such we can find where a social media message came from,” said McVicker. “I am also proud of the students who overheard or were told by the suspect that he intended to commit harm at school. By reporting this, we were able to get on it immediately and stop any potential threat. I encourage all students to tell an adult when they hear another child threatening violence at a school. We, as well as school officials take this type of action very seriously. We will not tolerate this type behavior.”

Sheriff James A. McVicker announced today his office had investigated three separate incidents of threats made against schools in Bladen County, two through Social Media accounts and one word of mouth.

“Last Wednesday night, January 18^th, we received information that several students from West Bladen High School had received Instagram messages to stay away from school because of an act of violence that would be committed the next morning,” said McVicker. “Once we received this information we worked with Dr. Robert Taylor and the faculty at West Bladen to insure the absolute safety off all students and staff. We had several officers at the school before it opened and we put every student through a metal detector.”

McVicker said investigators worked with the Federal Bureau of Investigation to track down the Instagram account and IP address it came from. All students who received the message were questioned and this investigation lead to the arrest of a juvenile on Friday, January 20^th.

The 15 year-old was charged through a juvenile petition with Making a False Report Concerning Mass Violence on Educational Properties, a Class H Felony punishable by 10 years in prison if an adult.

Juvenile officers served the juvenile and placed him under electronic house arrest pending a hearing.

On Friday night, January 27^th, the Sheriff’s Office once again received a report of a second threat against a school, this time Bladenboro Middle School. These threats were also threatening violence at a school. Investigators worked through the weekend and again uncovered the person responsible for the threat, another 15 year old juvenile. This second juvenile was charged with the same charges as the first juvenile and is also under electronic house arrest pending a court hearing.

Then on Tuesday, January 24^th students at West Bladen showed a teacher a Snap Chat message that had gone out to other students threatening violence at the school. Investigators were again called and with the aid of the Federal Bureau of Investigation they were able to isolate the IP address for the original message and identify the user.

During the course of this investigation it was learned that three individuals were involved, one a 14 year-old juvenile and a 16 and 17 year old.

Deputies arrested Andrew Blake Hester, 17 of 317 LB Lennon Road Bladenboro, Tuesday night. On Wednesday morning they arrested Alexander Alamin Pone of 503 Old Hickory Lane, Elizabethtown. The third suspect, a 14 year old juvenile will be served with a Juvenile Petition later today.

Hester and Pone were charged as adults because of their age. Both were released to the custody of their parents pending a first appearance hearing in District Court in Elizabethtown. All three were charged with Making a False Report Concerning Mass Violence on Educational Properties, a Class H Felony punishable by 10 years in prison.

“We had additional officers at the school Monday morning as a precaution but had no further trouble and again no students or faculty were ever in danger” said McVicker. “These kids need to understand that technology is such we can find where a social media message came from,” he added. “I am also proud of the students who overheard or were told by the suspect that he intended to commit harm at school. By reporting this, we were able to get on it immediately and stop any potential threat. I encourage all students to tell an adult when they hear another child threatening violence at a school. We, as well as school officials take this type of action very seriously. We will not tolerate this type behavior.”

By: Valerie Newton

On Tuesday, January 24 West Bladen High School was notified of comments made against the school on social media that could potentially be perceived as threatening or dangerous. School administration immediately reported the comments made against the school to the Sheriff’s office, which is investigating. Communicating threats by any means to any person or group of persons, designed to cause harm to another person or persons, is a Bladen County Schools Code of Conduct Level IV violation according to North Carolina General Statute 115C-391 resulting in Long Term Suspension or Expulsion and is considered a Felony punishable by law according to North Carolina General Statute 14-277.5.

As a precautionary measure, school administration and staff limited student campus activity and unnecessary room-to-room transit for the day on Tuesday. Additional school resource officers and Sheriff’s deputies were on campus for the day on Tuesday to assist with monitoring activity. At no time were students or staff in any eminent danger. All school operations returned to normal as of Wednesday, January 25.

Sheriff James A. McVicker today announced the arrest yesterday of Akeem Juwan Westmoreland, 32 and Briana Amira Parker, 17 of 303 Pecan Street, Apt.9E, Bladenboro for Felony Possession of Cocaine and Simple Possession of Marijuana.

The arrests were the result of a search warrant executed in conjunction with North Carolina Probation and Parole officers.

In addition to the Cocaine and Marijuana charges, Westmoreland had an outstanding Assault With a Deadly Weapon warrant served. He is currently in Bladen County Jail under a $30,000.00 secured bond.

Parker was also charged with a Felony Probation Violation and is under a $35,000.00 secured bond.

“It is good to be able to work jointly with state law enforcement on cases such as this,” said McVicker. “The assistance of Probation and Parole is always outstanding. I am very glad we have such a good working relationship. It helps both agencies meet their goals of keeping the county safe.”

Donald Melvin addressed the Bladen County Board of Commissioners on Monday night regarding two different incidents during which he was incarcerated. These incidents ocurred in 2008 and 2014. He shared some documents with the Commissioners outlining the two incidents, but he did not specify what redress he was seeking from the board.

Melvin offered the board some background on himself. He has owned Tar Heel Outdoors since 1978 and at one time had a weekly feature that appeared in the Fayetteville Observer titled, “Tar Heel Outdoors with Don Melvin.” He has served as Vice-President of an eastern outdoors landscape firm, held a  job as a long distance truck driver, and has been active in his community and church.

“I’m here to address two different things,” said Melvin.

He told the board about two different arrests that ocurred in 2008 and 2014. Melvin claimed to the board that he was mistreated by both Bladen County Sheriff’s Deputies and state officials. He also alleged that there was no evidence that warranted either arrest.

Melvin also alleges that he was mistreated while he was being held for observation at Dorthea Dix Hospital.

He presented the Commissioners with an Associated Press article written in 2011 that outlined abuses and mistreatment of prisoners at Central Prison in Raleigh, one of the locations Melvin claimed to have spent time during his arrests for “safe keeping.”

According to reports, Melvin has threatened to file a civil lawsuit against the county, the Bladen County Sheriff’s Office and the state regarding his treatment.

One Bladen County resident was arrested and is facing charges of drug trafficking.

Tanisha Simpkins, 35, was arrested on Saturday and charged with trafficking in opium or heroin, possession with intent to manufacture, sell deliver schedule II controlled substance, and conspiring to sell/deliver heroin.

Wreck White Oak 3

Wreck White Oak 2

Wrech White Oak

Photos by: Kendall Heath

The sun was shining most of the day Wednesday, February 8th, but it didn’t stop an accident from happening in White Oak, North Carolina. According to officials on the scene, a hog truck collided with a log truck head on causing the road to be shut down on both ends of Gum Springs Road in White Oak.

There were no injuries reported. Ammon fire department and the highway patrol we’re both assisting with the wreckage.

Bladen County has experienced its first motor vehicle fatality of 2017 when the driver of a motorcycle was killed in a crash on Sunday afternoon.  Daniel Christopher Walters, 46, of Mears Road, Clarkton, lost his life when his 2002 Harley Davidson crossed the center line and struck a transfer truck head-on, according to the North Carolina Highway Patrol.

The crash ocurred on US 701 near Taylor Manufacturing at about 4:22 p.m. according to the North Carolina Highway Patrol. James Ladell Baker of Dunn was driving a Waccamaw Transport truck south on US 701 and Walters was traveling north on US 701 on his Harley Davidson motorcycle. Walters crossed the center line and struck the transport truck head-on and was ejected from the motorcycle.

The crash was investigated by Trooper A. Russ.

Columbus County Sheriff 2

Columbus County Sheriff

On Monday, February 13, 2017, at around 3:15 pm, William Indiana Jones and James Dean Jones were outside of their residence on Pinewood Lane in Whiteville walking their dogs. Their father went outside around 4 pm to check on his sons and could not locate them. They were last seen near Soles Road and Hallsboro Road, South in Whiteville.

William is a 16 year old white, male approximately 5’10” and weighs 165 pounds. James is a 15 year old white, male approximately 5’08” and weighs 145 pounds. Both William and James have blonde hair and blue eyes. The boys were last seen wearing summer clothing attire. The pit bull mix puppies they were walking are described as one being black with a white star on its chest and the other is black and white.

If you have information on the whereabouts of William and James Jones, please contact Columbus County Sheriff’s Office at 910-642-6551.

Jamie Nance injuries 2

Jamie Nance injuries

Jamie Nance 5

Jamie Nance 4

Jamie Nance 3

Contributed photos

A fight that broke out in the Bladen County Jail on Tuesday, February 13, 2017, resulted in one person being transported to the hospital for treatment.

Bladen County Sheriff’s Office Chief Deputy Larry Guyton said that at about 12:30 a.m. Jamie Harold Nance, 33, of Bladenboro, was arrested for communicating threats, harassing phone calls, domestic criminal trespass, violating a domestic violence protective order and he also had a warrant for his arrest for failing to appear in court in Robeson County.

“He was booked into the jail and placed in a group cell,” said Guyton. He said Nance was sharing a cell with two other men — Marcus Jermil Blake, 33, of 111 Ranch Circle, Kelly, and David Wilson Gilchrist, 22, of 208 David Street, Elizabethtown.

Guyton said Nance had not been in the cell for more than about 10 minutes when the jailer watching the cameras saw a fight start in Nance’s cell. Guyton said she alerted two other jailers who went back to the cell and removed Nance.

Guyton said Nance was bleeding from the head where he had struck his head on a bunk. Blake and Gilchrist are both charged with assault inflicting serious injury.

Guyton said the cause of the fight is unknown at this time. “None of the three would cooperate with the investigators. Nance would not say what the fight was about, neither would the other two. We do know that Nance was being verbally abusive with the jailers when he was booked,” said Guyton.

When asked if any type of a weapon was involved, Guyton said no. He said it was a fist fight and Nance fell and struck his head on the edge of one of the bunk beds in the cell. “He was transported and treated for that,” said Guyton. He said, once Nance was returned to the jail, he was not placed back into that particular cell.

When asked about housing inmates together, Guyton said the county tries to keep inmates that have “bad blood between them” or if they have gang affiliations that have conflicts separated. He said in this situation, there was no known conflict between the three men until the fight erupted.

“We’ve got some isolation cells, but we use them for suicide risks or disciplinary reasons or for a higher risk like a murder suspect,” said Guyton.

Currently, the Bladen County Jail is about 52 years old and has 65 cells. The group cells can hold up to 8 people, said Guyton. The new jail will have 270 cells that will hold either two men or one man. When the jail reaches capacity, it costs an average of $50 per day to house someone at another facility.

Guyton estimated that an emergency room visit costs a minimum of about $200, then with the added costs of stitches and x-rays, it could push the bill for treatment of injuries to $500. “Medical expenses in the jail are the largest expense we have. As long as they are in our custody, we’re responsible for their care,” said Guyton.

He said the county does everything it can to prevent incidents like this from occurring, but when you place that many people in one place for a long period of time, someone is going to become agitated with a fellow inmate at some point.

Sheriff James A. McVicker announced today the seizure of ten weapons from known gang members in both Bladen and Robeson counties.

“The Bladen County Narcotics Unit has worked several weeks now with the Wilmington office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation to recover weapons from known gang members,” said McVicker. My investigators developed a cooperating witness who helped identify a group of young men who were dealing in stolen and illegal weapons. Through this individual we were able to recover five rifles, three shotguns and two handguns. Some of these weapons were stolen and some used in the commission of crimes.”

McVicker said the investigation is continuing and he believes more illegal weapons will be collected and taken out of the hands of criminals in the near future.

According to UNCWilmington Facebook page there was an erroneous alert issued earlier today about shots fired on the campus. The post on the school’s official Facebook page said, “An all-clear text message has been issued to faculty, staff and students via UNCWAlert, but in case it has not yet reached you, please be assured that there were no shots fired on our campus this morning.”

The post also said, “We are looking into how the erroneous alert was issued and we apologize for this unfortunate error and the undue alarm it caused.”

Someone impersonating a law enforcement officer stopped a vehicle operated by a Bladen County Sheriff’s Deputy’s son this weekend near Ammon. According to reports,  the man told the victim that he was a law enforcement officer but did not have any credentials.

The incident is alleged to have happened on Gum Springs Road. According to reports, the man is described as being in his mid-40s with some facial hair and driving a gray older model Crown Victoria with a blue light on the dash. The victim was unable to get a tag number.

RALEIGH – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of North Carolina announces that a Criminal Complaint was filed against GARRETT GRIMSLEY, age 27, of Cary, charging him with Transmitting a Threat in Interstate Commerce to Injure the Person of Another. GRIMSLEY appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Robert T. Numbers, II today for his initial appearance.

According to the affidavit filed with the Criminal Complaint, on February 19, 2017, GRIMSLEY posted an online public message stating “don’t go to Cary tomorrow.” In a subsequent private message conversation, GRIMSLEY told a cooperating witness: “For too long the kuffar [non-Muslims] have spit in our faces and trampled our rights. This cannot continue. I cannot speak of anything. Say your dua [prayers], sleep, and watch the news tomorrow. It will only be the beginning . . .”

According to the affidavit, law enforcement officers identified GRIMSLEY’s apartment in Cary as the location from which the messages were sent. A search warrant executed at the apartment resulted in the recovery of an AK-47 assault rifle, four 30-round magazines, and approximately 340 rounds of 7.62 millimeter ammunition.

If convicted, the maximum penalty for this offense is 5 years imprisonment and a $250,000 fine.

The charge and allegations contained in the Criminal Complaint are merely accusations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.

The case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Cary Police Department, and the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation.

NC 410 Crash

NC 410 Crash 2

A crash on Tuesday evening at the intersection of NC 410 and Pleasant Grove Church Road resulted in charges against both drivers. The crash, which ocurred at about 8:30 p.m., sent the occupants of both vehicles to the hospital for treatment of their injuries, according to the North Carolina Highway Patrol.

According to the Highway Patrol, David Shelton Blackmon of Bladenboro was driving west on Pleasant Grove Church Road and Amy Lynn Dicicco of Dublin was driving north on NC 410. Blackmon failed to stop for the stop sign at the intersection of NC 410 and Pleasant Grove Church Road while he was attempting to make a left turn onto NC 410. Dicicco drove left fo center in an attempt to avoid the collision. Dicicco’s vehicle collided with Blackmon’s vehicle in the intersection. After impact, Blackmon’s vehicle ran off the road to the right and came to rest in a paved area. Dicicco’s vehicle ran off the road to the left and came to final rest in the paved area, according to the Highway Patrol.

Dicicco’s vehicle was also occupied by two juveniles and Robert Lambert of Dublin, according to the report.

Following the crash, Blackmon was transported by Bladen County EMS to Southeastern Regional Medical Center and Dicicco and her passengers were transported to Bladen County Hospital for treatment of their injuries.

Dicicco was charged with no insurance and Blackmon was charged with a stop sign violation. Trooper J. P. Weissinger investigated the crash.

Twasjay Roddreek Brown was found guilty of first degree murder and sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole Friday in Bladen County Superior Court.

Brown, 23, of Elizabethtown, also was found guilty of discharging a weapon into occupied property and possession of a firearm by a felon in the shooting death of Malcolm Jerome Melvin, 23, in October 2014, according to the District Attorney’s office.

Brown was one of two men charged in Melvin’s murder that happened Oct. 28, 2014 at a mobile home on Sammy Lane in a park off N.C. 242 south of Elizabethtown, officials said. Melvin’s girlfriend and a child were in the home at the time of the shooting, but were not injured, according to the 911 call. Melvin was shot in the head shortly before 2:30 a.m. when he opened his front door, according to authorities.

Ernest Raysean Gray of Clarkton also has been charged in the murder. His trial tentatively is scheduled in March.