By Erin Smith

The jury deliberated for one and one-half hours Friday afternoon before returning a verdict of guilty in the Shanika Mitchell murder trial in Bladen County Superior Court. Superior Court Judge Tanya Wallace sentenced Mitchell to life in prison with parole.

Assistant District Attorney Quentin McGee told the court during the sentencing phase that due to the fact the sole basis of the jury’s verdict is the felony murder rule and the fact Mitchell was under the age of 18 at the time of the shooting, under North Carolina law she must be sentenced to life in prison with the possibility of parole after 25 years.

Mitchell was also convicted of attempted first degree murder against Antwan Council, who is Darrell’s brother.

Mitchell was also found guilty of felony conspiracy to commit first-degree murder against Antwan Council and discharging a weapon into an occupied vehicle in operation. Mitchell was also found guilty of felony conspiracy to commit first-degree murder against Darrell Council. She received a sentence of 125 to 162 months to be served concurrently with the life sentence.

Following the reading of the verdict, Defense Attorney Wes Johnson asked for the jury to be polled. After the jury was polled and Mitchell was sentenced, Johnson notified the court his client does plan to appeal the verdict.

Earlier on Friday, the jury heard closing arguments from both sides before deliberations began after lunch.

In final arguments Defense Attorney Johnson reminded the jury that the State must prove their argument that Shanika Mitchell conspired with her brother, Montise Mitchell, D’Nayza Downing and Christopher Baldwin to commit the shooting, beyond a reasonable doubt.

“This is a sad case and it’s a tough case,” said Johnson.

He reminded the jury Montise Mitchell and D’Nayza Downing are both currently serving their sentences for the their roles in the shooting and Christopher Baldwin has yet to be tried for his role.

Johnson reminded the jury of testimony given earlier in the trial by Downing where she indicated some of the text messages exchanged between herself and Shanika Mitchell were simply “horse play.” Specifically, he referenced a text Shanika Mitchell sent Downing that read, “Let’s jump Antwan.”

“Does horse playing sound like someone who is lying in wait?” asked Johnson.

Assistant District Attorney Quentin McGee laid out his argument for the jury to return a verdict of first degree murder against Mitchell. McGee showed the jury text messages and a Facebook posting which were also displayed earlier in the trial. He reminded the jurors that Mitchell had posted a message on her Facebook regarding a birthday party for Montise Mitchell on November 7, 2015. McGee read a line in that Facebook post which said, “I am my brother’s keeper.”

McGee also reminded jurors of earlier testimony regarding the fact that Antwan Council testified to the fact he only knew Shanika Mitchel from school but they did not “hang out together.”

McGee told jurors that D’Nayza Downing testified to the fact that she contacted the Council brothers indicating she and Shanika Mitchell wanted to get together and smoke marijuana. He reminded the jurors of Downing’s testimony that she and Shanika Mitchell were communicating with Montise Mitchell the entire time.

McGee described the shooting once more for the jury. He showed the jury photographs of the silver Suburban the Council brothers were riding in the night the shooting occurred depicting the damage done to the vehicle.

McGee reminded the jury that Investigator Morgan Johnson was able to locate Montise Mitchell in Lumberton in December 2015. McGee said in the meantime Montise Mitchell was able to get rid of the murder weapon.

McGee argued that due to the fact Shanika Mitchell aided and abetted in the shooting, she is responsible under the law.

On Monday, April 16, 2018 Narcotics Agents with the Bladen/Columbus County Narcotics Taskforce executed a search at 9329 Mercer Mill Road, Clarkton NC after citizen complaints of an indoor marijuana grow operation.  Pursuant to the search, Andrew James Ellis, 37, of Clarkton was arrested and charged with the following criminal offenses:

Bladen County Sheriff’s Office charged Ellis with:
Felony possession of marijuana
Manufacture marijuana
Possession with intent to manufacture/sell/deliver marijuana
Maintaining a dwelling for the purpose of keeping/selling marijuana 

Columbus County Sheriff’s Office charged Ellis with:
Possession with intent to manufacture/sell/deliver marijuana
Possession with intent to manufacture/sell/deliver Schedule II CS

Ellis was arrested in Columbus County and taken to the Columbus County Detention Center and is currently being held under a $30,000.00 secured bond.

Press Release and photos are courtesy of Bladen County Sheriff’s Office

Bladen County Sheriff James A. McVicker announced today the arrest of Curtis Devon Ballard, 33, of Clint Drive, Whiteville.

“This arrest is the result of an undercover investigation involving controlled buys by members of the Bladen County Narcotics Unit,” said McVicker.

Ballard was arrested Tuesday at his residence by the Columbus County Sheriff’s Office Uniform Patrol Division. He was placed in Columbus County Detention Center under a $125,000.00 secured bond. Ballard was charged with Sell/Deliver Marijuana (2 counts), Sell/Deliver Schedule II (Cocaine), Possession With Intent to Manufacture/Sell/Deliver Marijuana (2 counts), Possession With Intent to Manufacture/Sell/Deliver Schedule II (Cocaine), Manufacture Marijuana (2 counts), Manufacture Schedule II (Cocaine), Maintaining a Vehicle For the Purpose of Keeping/Selling Controlled Substances (2 counts). In addition to these charges the District Attorney’s Office intends to present an Indictment to the Grand Jury against Ballard as a Habitual Felon.

“The working relationship between my office and Columbus County Sheriff’s Office has proven invaluable,” said McVicker. “Mr. Ballard is but one example of a drug dealer who routinely crossed county lines to sell his drugs. Now he is in jail and his operation has been shut down thanks to the joint efforts of the two offices.”

RALEIGH – United States Attorney Robert J. Higdon, Jr. announced that in federal court today, Rashad Davonte Young, 27, and Jeramie Ross Vaughn, 30, of Whiteville, North Carolina pled guilty in Raleigh before United States District Judge Terrence W. Boyle to one count of Bank Robbery and one count of Discharging a Firearm in Furtherance of a Bank Robbery. On January 23, 2018, at approximately 3:35 p.m., Young, Vaughn, and two co-conspirators entered the PNC Bank in Lumberton, North Carolina where they held the PNC Bank employees and a customer at gunpoint while they stole over $40,000 in United States currency. They were in the bank for approximately 10 minutes. When the Lumberton Police Department responded to the scene of the robbery, they observed a gray in color Saturn, matching descriptions given by witnesses, near the PNC Bank. They initiated a vehicle pursuit with the fleeing vehicle.

During the pursuit, Vaughn was the getaway driver and Young was seated in the back passenger seat. The perpetrators fired their weapons at law enforcement during the vehicle pursuit, striking six Lumberton Police Department vehicles and one Robeson County Sheriff’s Office vehicle. Specifically, at one point, while the Saturn was stopped, Vaugn fired shots at law enforcement.
YOUNG also fired at law enforcement using a Tech-9 gun. When the Saturn reached a convenience store in Lumberton, Young jumped out of the vehicle and fled on foot. Vaughn continued to drive through Columbus County, where the vehicle was abandoned, and the remaining three perpetrators escaped into the woods. The following day, approximately thirty hours after the robbery, Vaughn was located by a homeowner in Lumberton. He was wet and cold, and was wearing the same clothing that was captured on the bank surveillance video. Young was arrested during a traffic stop on January 25, 2018. Both individuals provided confessions to law enforcement about their roles in the robbery. Vaughn faces a sentence of not less than 20 years and up to life along with a fine up to $500,000 and up to 5 years of supervised release at sentencing. Young faces a sentence of not less than 10 years and up to life along with a fine up to $500,000 and up to 5 years of supervised release at sentencing.

Daquan Madrid Pridgen and Demetris Sean Robinson have also been charged in connection with this case and their cases are pending.

Mr. Higdon commented: “We are pleased to have resolved thecases against these two defendants so promptly. Jeopardizing people’s safety and risking the lives of law enforcement officers will not be tolerated in this federal district. Two defendants have not yet concluded their cases and we look forward to presenting their cases to a trial jury in the near-future so we may see justice served come and all who are responsible are held responsible.”

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. Attorney General Jeff Sessions reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent crime. Investigation of this case was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Lumberton Police Department, the Robeson County Sheriff’s Office, and the Columbus County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant United States Attorney Peggah B. Wilson handled the prosecution of this case for the government.

By Erin Smith

A teenager is wanted in Brunswick County for attempted murder, according to the Brunswick County Sheriff’s Office. The teen is being sought on two charges of attempted murder following a shooting that occurred in Bolivia on Thursday. 

According to the Brunswick County Sheriff’s’ Office, Jadakiss Jeheim Watkins, 16, of Delco, is wanted in connection to a shooting that ocurred at 3:15 p.m. on Zack Street in Bolivia. Watkins is alleged to have fired a gun towards two individuals who were outside of the residence. 

Anyone with information as to the whereabouts of Jadakis Jeheim Watkins should contact Det. Hester at 910-713-8360 or call 911.

By Erin Smith

A Clarkton man who was arrested last week in connection with a joint investigation by the Bladen County Sheriff”s Office and Columbus County Sheriff’s Office of a marijuana growing operation was found dead in his cell on Thursday.

A press release from the Columbus County Sheriff’s Office on Monday stated Andrew James Ellis, 37, of Mercer Mill Road, Clarkton, was found unresponsive at the Columbus County Detention Center in Whiteville at 6:30 a.m. on Thursday, April 19. According to officials, jail staff attempted CPR until Whiteville Rescue arrived and Ellis was transported to Columbus Regional Healthcare System in Whiteville were he was pronounced dead.

Ellis was facing charges of:

*Possession with the Intent to Manufacture/Sell/Deliver Schedule VI Controlled Substance

*Possession with the Intent to Manufacture/Sell/Deliver Schedule II Controlled Substance

*Manufacturing Marijuana

*Possession with the Intent to Manufacture/Sell/Deliver Marijuana

*Felony Possession of Marijuana

*Maintaining A Place for Controlled Substance.

Ellis’ cause of death is pending an autopsy.

Sheriff James A. McVicker announced the arrest today of Jasper McKenzie Munn, 18, of 261 Blue Moon Drive, Elizabethtown for the possession and sale of narcotics on the campus at East Bladen High School.

“Narcotics agents conducted an operation at East Bladen High School today and arrested and charged Munn with Possession With Intent to Manufacture/Sell/Deliver Marijuana, Possession of Marijuana, Maintaining a Vehicle For The Purpose of Keeping and Selling Controlled Substances, and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia,” said McVicker.

Munn was booked into the Bladen County Detention Center under a $5,500.00 secured bond. He made bond and will have a first appearance hearing in Bladen County District Court on Monday, April 30.

“Students and parents need to know that we fight drug sales where and when we find them, McVicker said. “It is disappointing to know our children face the temptation of drugs while trying to get an education but that is sadly the case. We will continue to work closely with the schools to combat the sale of drugs in our schools.”

Whiteville, NC – The Columbus County Sheriff’s Office Criminal Investigation Division has completed an investigation into a residential break in that occurred on April 19, 2018, on Smyrna Road. At a few minutes after 10:00 am, Columbus County Sheriff’s Office Deputies were dispatched to a residence on Smyrna Road in reference to an alarm call. The homeowners could see an unknown black male inside of their home via their security cameras.  The suspect fled the home on foot, traveling towards Brown Maultsby Road. Fortunately, no property was stolen during the incident.

Sheriff James A. McVicker said members of the Narcotics and Patrol Divisions conducted saturation patrols in several communities this weekend based on citizen complaints.

“My deputies, acting on information and complaints from various communities worked aggressive enforcement in East Arcadia, White Oak, Abbottsburg, Bolton (Jacobs Loop Road) and Clarkton this past weekend, resulting in several arrests and drug seizures,” McVicker announced. “When we get complaints we try to actively work them. If people of a community reach out to us we will do our best to respond and work with the good citizens to rid their area of drug dealers, and other criminal activity.”

A shooting occurred Friday night at an illegal club in the Abbottsburg/Sandhills community known as “The Honey Hole”. Three individuals were shot and all three were treated at Bladen County Hospital for non-life threatening wounds. “Not a single person, including those who were shot would cooperate with my Investigators,” said McVicker. “No one saw anything, heard anything, or knew anything. It is hard to solve a crime when the victims will not cooperate. We are working now to get the place closed as a public nuisance. This was one of the areas we targeted Saturday night.”

Deputies also conducted “knock and talks”, a term that refers to officers approaching a residence where known drug activity has been reported, knocking on the door and attempting to get consent to search or ask about illegal drug activity. These “knock and talks” were done at locations on Locks Road, Carter Road, Troy and Graham Road in the East Arcadia community and on Jacobs Loop Road in the Buckhead community. Three charges were made on Jacobs Loop based on this interaction. Charged was Wallace Thomas Baldwin, 39, of Clarkton for possession of marijuana and paraphernalia, Nichole Starcross Brewington, 29, of Bolton, with possession of drug paraphernalia, and Polyette Mariscal, 53, of Bolton, charged with possession of Schedule IV controlled substances and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Later that evening, a vehicle was stopped on John Owen Road in the White Oak Community and an individual was arrested on several charges. Michael Kemp, 50, of 1691 Lyon Landing Road, Elizabethtown was charged with: driving left of center, expired registration, failure to stop for blue light and siren, driving while license revoked, maintaining a vehicle for the sale of narcotics, possess drug paraphernalia, felony possession of marijuana, possession with intent to manufacture/sell/deliver marijuana, manufacture marijuana. Based on these charges officers seized a 2015 GMC Sierra pickup, approximately 67 grams of marijuana and approximately $17,000.00 in cash. Kemp was placed in Bladen County Detention center under a $78,000.00 secured bond. He will have a first appearance hearing today in Bladen County District Court.

“We continue to respond to citizen and community complaints, noted McVicker. “If you have a narcotics complaint please call 910-862- 6960 and ask for the Narcotics Unit. Your tips will remain anonymous. If you know of criminal activity please call the same number and ask for Captain Jeffrey Tyler of the Criminal Investigations Unit.”

RALEIGH – The United States Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, Robert J. Higdon, Jr., announced that today in federal court, Senior United States District Judge W. Earl Britt sentenced FRANZ DIDYER RAMOS-FERNANDEZ, 29, of Pasadena, Texas, to 195 months of imprisonment followed by 6 years of supervised release.  RAMOS-FERNANDEZ and co-defendant Fernando Enrique Cardona-Zavala were named in a five-count Indictment filed on June 27, 2017.  On September 14, 2017 RAMOS-FERNANDEZ pled guilty to Conspiracy to Distribute and Possess With Intent to Distribute a Quantity of Methamphetamine, a Quantity of Cocaine, and a Quantity of Marijuana.

RALEIGH – Robert J. Higdon, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, announces that a federal grand jury in Raleigh has returned indictments charging Ivan Diaz- Ramirez, age 33, of Mexico, Pedro Landeros-Tetatzia, age 33, of Mexico, and Fredi Perez-Navarro, age 44, of Mexico, Raul Mireles- Prado, age 43, of Mexico, Angel Pisano, age 44, of Mexico, and Aurelio Ramirez-Barrientos, age 41, of Mexico, with illegal reentry of a deported alien. If convicted of illegal reentry of an alien, Diaz-Ramirez, found in Duplin County, Landeros-Tetatzia, found in Harnett County, Perez-Navarro, found in Robeson County, Mireles-Prado, found in Wake County, Pisano, found in Wake County, and Ramirez-Barrientos, found in Robeson County, would face a maximum imprisonment term of two years, a $250,000 fine, and a term of supervised release following any term of imprisonment.

The cases are being investigated by ICE’s Enforcement and Removal Operations.

WASHINGTON – A federal grand jury sitting in Raleigh, North Carolina returned an indictment today charging a Raleigh man with seven counts of willful failure to pay over employment taxes, announced Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Richard E. Zuckerman of the Justice Department’s Tax Division.

According to the indictment, Sainte Deon Robinson failed to pay to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) more than $450,000 in federal employment taxes withheld from the wages paid to employees of his mental health services business, OneCare Inc.  The indictment alleges that Robinson served in several positions at OneCare Inc., including President.  If convicted, the defendant faces a statutory maximum sentence of five years in prison for each count.  He also faces a period of supervised release, restitution, and monetary penalties. An indictment merely alleges that crimes have been committed.  A defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty. Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Zuckerman commended special agents of IRS Criminal Investigation, who investigated the case, and Tax Division Trial Attorneys Lauren Castaldi and Michael Boteler, who are prosecuting the case and also thanked the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of North Carolina for their valuable assistance.

 GREENVILLE – Robert J. Higdon, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, announces that today in Federal court, Tranquere Sanchez Irons, a 30-year-old resident of Lumberton, was convicted following a two-day trial before Senior United States District Judge Malcolm J. Howard. The jury found Irons guilty of Possession with the Intent to Distribute a Quantity of Cocaine Base (Crack), Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime and Being a Felon in Possession of a firearm. Sentencing is scheduled for August 7, 2018. Irons faces up to life imprisonment.

The evidence at trial showed that on March 3, 2017, Officers with the Lumberton Police Department were conducting a license checkpoint. Officers noticed a vehicle, driven by Irons, avoid the checkpoint and begin traveling at a high rate of speed. Officers pursued Irons who ended up crashing his vehicle into two other vehicles. Irons exited his vehicle and fled on foot but was captured by law enforcement officers. Officers searched Irons’ vehicle and found a loaded Bryco .380 pistol, a loaded 9mm magazine, an AK-47, cocaine and crack cocaine, and digital scales.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. Attorney General Jeff Sessions reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent crime.

In support of PSN, the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of North Carolina has implemented the Take Back North Carolina Initiative. This initiative emphasizes the regional assignment of federal prosecutors to work with law enforcement and District Attorney’s Offices on a sustained basis in those communities to reduce the violent crime rate, drug trafficking, and crimes against law enforcement. The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives (ATF), and the Lumberton Police Department. John H. Bennett prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.

RALEIGH – The United States Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, Robert J. Higdon, Jr., announced that in federal court, before United States Magistrate Judge Robert T. Numbers, II, Raymond Lee Bryant, Jr., of Roseboro, North Carolina, was charged in a federal Criminal Complaint with carjacking and carrying and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to the carjacking.

According to the affidavit attached to the Criminal Complaint, Bryant, is alleged to have committed multiple carjackings on Interstate 95 in Dunn, North Carolina on May 3, 2018. Bryant is alleged to have approached a semi-truck and trailer, forced the driver and passenger out of the truck at gunpoint after firing a round and attempted to drive the truck away. As Bryant was backing up the truck, it jack-knifed which blocked the northbound lanes of Interstate 95. Bryant exited the truck, attempted to carjack another semi-truck and trailer however the driver of that truck exited the vehicle as he saw Bryant approach. Bryant then approached a third vehicle, had a confrontation with the two occupants, the two occupants fled the vehicle and Bryant sped from Harnett County in the truck heading north on Interstate 95.

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. This case is part of the Take Back North Carolina Initiative, which was newly implemented by United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of North Carolina. This initiative emphasizes the regional assignment of federal prosecutors to work with law enforcement and District Attorney’s Offices on a sustained basis in those communities to reduce the violent crime rate, drug trafficking, and crimes against law enforcement. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the North Carolina State Highway Patrol and the Harnett County Sheriff’s Office investigated this case.

By Erin Smith

Bladen County Superior Court records indicate a former West Bladen High School teacher will face trial in July on charges she had sex with a student. 

According to court documents, Shanna May Harrelson will go to trial on Monday, July 16th. She is facing charges of disseminating obscene material to a minor and crime against nature: sex act with a student. 

The charge of disseminating obscene material to a minor and the charge of crime against nature each carry a maximum sentence of 24 months and one felony count of a sex act with a student carries a maximum sentence of 47 months.

Harrelson was a science teacher at West Bladen High School.

Whiteville, NC – On April 29, 2018, the Dollar General located at 25 Dock Road in Whiteville was robbed at gun point by two masked subjects. The manager and a store employee locked the store and were getting into their vehicles when a masked male came from the side of the store with a shotgun in his hand. The subject pointed the shotgun at the victims and demanded them to unlock the store door and reenter same. Another masked male appeared and entered the store with the armed subject and the victims. Once inside, the subjects demanded money from the safe. They were advised that the safe was on a time delay. The subjects decided to wait for the safe to open. During this delay, the subjects demanded the victims to empty the register tills and filled a bag with packs of cigarettes. When the safe opened, they emptied the safe. The subjects also removed merchandise from the store shelves, putting same into a bag. The subjects left the store in an unknown direction of travel. Over $5,000 dollars and over 150 packs of cigarettes were stolen during the incident.

The Columbus County Sheriff’s Office Criminal Investigation Unit investigated the incident. A former Dollar General employee, Seth Spivey, was identified as a person of interest. He was terminated from the Old Dock store approximately three weeks prior to the armed robbery. The investigators utilized available resources to determine Spivey’s location.

On May 02, 2018, a traffic stop was initiated on Spivey on Highway 130 in front of the same Dollar General store. Spivey did have a concealed firearm inside of his vehicle. Spivey was detained and brought to the Sheriff’s Office for an interview. During the interview, the co-conspirator was identified. At the conclusion of the interview, investigators were able to present the probable cause needed to arrest and charge Spivey for the above incident.

Columbus County Sheriff’s Office Investigators obtained a search warrant for the second subject’s residence, located at 1756 Lebanon Church Road in Clarendon. On May 3, 2018, investigators executed the search warrant on the residence. Information obtained prior to executing the search warrant, identified the subject, Christopher Blackwell, as being home. When the search was executed, the subject was not located inside of the residence. Investigators did locate a trap door that led to the crawl space underneath the residence. It was determined that the subject escaped through the trap door when members of the Columbus County Sheriff’s Office arrived to execute the search warrant. After approximately 15 minutes of negotiations with Blackwell, he surrendered without further incident. During the search, investigators located and seized several items believed to be related to the Dollar General armed robbery. A firearm was also located and seized. Blackwell was detained and brought to the Sheriff’s Office for an interview. After the interview, he was arrested and charged for the above incident.

Spivey and Blackwell were both processed at the Columbus County Law Enforcement Center.

Spivey, 23, of 2964 Dock Road, Whiteville, was arrested and charged with one felony count of robbery with a dangerous weapon, two felony counts of kidnapping and one felony count of safecracking. He was placed into the Columbus County Jail under a $100,000 secured bond.

Also arrested was Blackwell, 28, of 1756 Lebanon Church Road, Clarendon. He was charged with one felony count of robbery with a dangerous weapon, two felony counts of kidnapping and one felony count of safecracking. He was placed into the Columbus County Jail under a $100,000 secured bond.

Fayetteville, NC – Officers with the Fayetteville Police Department’s Central District Community Empowerment Response Team (CERT), with assistance from the Narcotics Unit, have identified and charged two suspects for felony narcotic violations as the result of a search warrant, along the 1100 block of Bernadine Street, on May 10, 2018.

Officers conducted a search warrant at a residence along the 1100 block of Bernadine Street as a result of an ongoing investigation in to the manufacturing, sell, and delivery of illegal narcotics. During the execution of the search warrant, the Fayetteville Police Department’s Emergency Response Team (ERT) entered the residence to secure the residence and to secure any persons located inside of the residence. 

After that operation, an Officer assigned to the ERT began showing signs and symptoms of a fentanyl exposure. Officers on scene immediately recognized the signs and symptoms and administered two dosage units of Naloxone to the Officer. In less than a minute after the administration of Naloxone, the Officer began showing signs of improvement. As a precautionary measure, that Officer was transported to Cape Fear Valley Medical Center for treatment. He has since been released from the hospital.

The Fayetteville Fire Department’s Hazmat Team responded to the scene to assist in securing the residence of any hazardous materials.

FPD’s Central CERT Officers have charged two suspects in this case.

Demetrie R. Everett, 23 years of age, of the 1100 block of Bernadine Street, has been arrested and charged with two counts of Possession with Intent to Manufacture, Sell, and Deliver Heroin, Possession with Intent to Manufacture, Sell, and Deliver a Synthetic Cannabinoid, Possession with Intent to Manufacture, Sell, and Deliver MDA/MDMA, two counts Felony Maintaining a Dwelling for Keeping/Selling Controlled Substances, and Simple Possession of Marijuana. Everett is currently being held at the Cumberland County Detention Center on a $20,000 secured bond.

Marqucia Byrd, 25 years of age, of the 4900 block of Fieldcrest Drive, has been arrested and charged with Possession of Cocaine. Byrd is currently being held at the Cumberland County Detention Center on a $1,000 secured bond.

This remains an ongoing investigation and additional information will be released as it becomes available.

Anyone with information regarding illegal narcotic activity is encouraged to contact Fayetteville / Cumberland County Crimestoppers at (910) 483-TIPS (8477).  Crimestoppers information can also be submitted electronically by visiting http://fay-nccrimestoppers.org?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss and completing the anonymous online tip sheet, or by downloading the FREE “P3 Tips” app available for Apple devices in the Apple App Store and available for Android devices in Google Play.

The saying goes, “Crime doesn’t pay.” Those words rang true Sunday evening for three suspects accused of trying to break in a Bladen County barn.

“Three people tried to break into our barn and Dad and I held them at gun point until the cops got there,” Brent Underwood explained.

By Erin Smith

Two Bladen County Sheriff’s Deputies received minor injuries last week when they attempted to serve an arrest warrant at a residence in White Oak.

According to Bladen County Chief Deputy Larry Guyton, the two deputies arrived at 36 Lair Brown Road off of River Road in White Oak to serve a warrant for the arrest of Maurice Alphonso Williams, 46. 

The warrants were for misdemeanor communicating threats and misdemeanor assault on a female, said Guyton.

When officers attempted to arrest Williams he refused to go with the officers and began to fight with them, said Guyton. 

“He told them he was not going,” said Guyton. 

Williams fought with the officers and one deputy tazed him. Guyton said Williams proceeded to pull the leads out and continued to fight. 

Guyton said another family member came to the scene and attempted to help the deputies and Williams also fought with him. 

Deputies, who used bean bag rounds against Williams, eventually subdued him. Williams was transported to Cape Fear Valley Medical Center in Fayetteville for treatment of his injuries and released the next afternoon, according to Guyton. The two deputies were treated and released from Cape Fear Valley-Bladen Healthcare in Elizabethtown.

In addition to the charges above, Williams was also charged with two counts of assault inflicting physical injury to a law enforcement officer, two counts of resisting a public officer, and two counts of injury to personal property. 

He is being held under a $30,000 secured bond in the Bladen County Detention Center.