Jon David

A U.S. Magistrate Judge has allowed portions of a civil lawsuit against District Attorney Jon David to proceed while dismissing parts in a case involving the shuttering of two Dublin  sweepstakes business in 2015.

On Sept. 19, Judge Robert B. Jones Jr. denied David’s request to dismiss the official capacity takings claim under the N.C. Constitution and individual capacity claims for conversion, a declaratory judgment, and a violation of constitutional rights, while dismissing the takings claim under the U.S. Constitution and individual capacity takings claim under the N.C. Constitution against the District Attorney, according to the ruling filed in the Southern Division of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina.

The civil lawsuit was filed in January by Holly and Jeffrey Smith, who are owners of Cybernet and Aladdin Real Estate, and who operated two Aladdin sweepstakes businesses in Dublin. The businsses were raided May 29, 2015, when Sheriff’s Office deputies removed sweepstakes machines, computer equipment and other items, and six people were arrested on sweepstakes-related charges.

Jeffrey Smith

The Smiths’ suit seeks in excess of $10,000 for damages caused during the raid. Bladen County Sheriff James McVicker, Deputy Travis Deaver and David are named in the suit.

David’s motion to dismiss the case with mediation was denied as moot by Jones, according to the court document.

McVicker and Deaver were not part of the motion to dismiss the claims.

Jeffrey Smith has estimated between $15,000 to $20,000 in damage was done to the businesses during the raid.

In January, Superior Court Judge Ola M. Lewis ruled that David’s office, which serves Bladen, Brunswick and Columbus counties, would not be allowed to continue to prosecute the case against the Smiths under a vindictive prosecution motion filed on the Smiths behalf. The District Attorney’s office has appealed that ruling.

Jeffrey Smith was charged in Jan. 2013 with electronic sweepstakes violations in Bladen County. The trial, held in April 2014, ended in a hung jury. Smith reopened his sweepstakes businesses in May 2014 before being shut down in May 2015.

Saquon Reginald Covington plead guilty to two felony firearm charges Monday in Bladen County Superior Court under an agreement with the state and was sentenced to between six and 17 months in custody.

Covington, 27, of Elizabethtown, plead guilty to felony possession of a stolen firearm and felony carrying a concealed gun. He also has several drug related charges pending, which, according to the District Attorney’s office, will be addressed once his current sentence is complete.

According to the District Attorney’s office, the first incident occurred June 2, 2015, when the vehicle that Covington was driving was pulled over in Elizabethtown for violating the town’s noise ordinance. Once stopped, an officer from the Elizabethtown Police Department observed an open container of alcohol and asked Covington to step out of the vehicle. During a subsequent search of the vehicle, a handgun was located under the driver’s seat. A trace on the firearm discovered that the weapon had previously been reported stolen.

The second offense happened June 10, 2015, when law enforcement officers encountered Covington in Elizabethtown and attempted to serve him with an outstanding warrant. As he was being taken into custody, officers again discovered Covington carrying a concealed handgun. It was a different handgun than the one found about a week earler. The handgun was located in the pocket of Covington’s pants.

Marcus Jurmil Blake breathed a sigh of relief. The 33-year-old from Kelly was not returning to prison.

A jury Wednesday found Blake not guilty of failing to report a new address of a registered sex offender after hearing two days of testimony in Bladen County Superior Court.

Blake has been required to register as a sex offender since 2008 after being convicted of felonious attempted restraint of a minor. He has had no previous reported sex offender registry violations, according to N.C. Department of Public Safety records. Registered sex offenders are required to notify the local sheriff’s office within three business days of any change of address.

The case began on Halloween night in 2015 when Blake was stopped by a Bladen County Sheriff’s Office deputy while driving. Blake did not have a valid driver’s license, but did have an ID card. He was given a citation, according to testimony during the trial.

Upon further investigation, it was learned that Blake was a registered sex offender and, authorities believed based on the report from the traffic stop, that he was not living at 111 Ranch Circle in Kelly as required. According to the report, Blake told the officer that he was living in Fayetteville. Blake testified Wednesday that he told the officer that he was “heading to Fayetteville” to attend a party.

Sheriff’s deputy Sgt. Kevin Hunsinger went to 111 Ranch Circle to check whether Blake was living at the residence, according to testimony. Blake wasn’t at the residence, but, Blake’s brother, Stan Johnson, told Hunsinger that Blake lived in Fayetteville, according to the officer’s testimony.

Blake testified Wednesday that he was living at the home, but often traveled for his work installing solar panels. The company would house the employees at a hotel during the week and, Blake testified, he would return home on weekends.

Blake’s defense showed copies of electric bills and hospital bills that showed Blake’s address as 111 Ranch Circle. He got a new driver’s license earlier this year that showed the Kelly-based address.

The prosecution countered that all that proved was that was the address that Blake gave. Those agencies couldn’t prove Blake was living there.

“(Blake) has been compliant with everything he is supposed to do,” Blake’s lawyer, Wes Johnson, of Elizabethtown, said in his closing argument to the jury. “He was living where he was supposed to live. He did not willfully fail to comply.”

Johnson reminded jurors that Blake “was honest with you and not trying to hide” that he had previous criminal record and has been incarcerated on other charges besides the charge that resulted in him having to register as a sex offender.

“The state has not provided enough evidence to convict a man,” Johnson said. “Wouldn’t you have liked to have seen (law enforcement) go to the residence several times or follow his car to see where he goes at night, or put surveillance on 111 Ranch Circle? They didn’t do that.”

Assistant District Attorney Quintin McGee, in his closing argument, told jurors that on the night Blake was stopped that the officer testified that Blake said he lived in Fayetteville, but didn’t know the address. “He didn’t want to tell them,” McGee said, “so they couldn’t verify it.”

When Sgt. Hunsinger went to 111 Ranch Circle to check whether Blake was living there, neither Blake’s brother nor mother made any effort to show that he was living there, McGee said. “They could have showed where he kept his clothes or where his bed was, but they didn’t do that because he wasn’t living there.

“Mr. Blake does what he wants when he wants, but you don’t get to do that when you’re a registered sex offender,” McGee said. “At some point, its about personal responsibility. Mr. Blake put himself this position. He was bound by law (to report his address) and he didn’t do it.”

The jury deliberated for about an hour before returning their verdict of not guilty.

RALEIGH – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of North Carolina and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) announce the arrests of five defendants pursuant to Federal Criminal Complaints for Narcotics Conspiracy today in Sampson County.

• Antonio McKoy, 30, of Garland, NC

• James Daniel McKoy, 51, of Garland, NC

• Bryant Carr, 37, of Roseboro, NC

• Andrekia Parker, 23, of Garland, NC

• Anthony Barnes, 30, of Turkey, NC

The individual below also charged by Criminal Complaint is still at large.

• Tony Chevallier, 30, of Turkey, NC

Over 20 federal and state arrest warrants were executed today in and around Sampson County as part of a yearlong investigation into a violent multi-defendant drug trafficking organization. During this investigation, law enforcement was able to seize over 11 pounds of cocaine and purchase several firearms. The charges and allegations contained in the Compliants are merely accusations. The defendants are considered innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law. The case is a federal Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) criminal matter being investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), the Sampson County Sheriff’s Office, Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation, Jacksonville Police Department, Onslow County Sheriff’s Office, New Hanover County Sheriff’s Office, U.S. Probation Office, the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation and the North Carolina Departments of Revenue and Emergency Management.

A Bladenboro man charged in the shooting death of a Tar Heel woman in February was given a $500,000 secured bond by Judge Douglas B. Sasser on Monday during a hearing in Bladen County Superior Court.

Kelly Dwayne Hamilton, 44, has been charged with first-degree murder in the death of 44-year-old Crystal Lynn McLamb on Feb. 11. The incident took place in the early morning hours at Hamilton’s mobile home on Ruby Kidds Road, off Singletary Mill Pond Road, near Bladenboro, according to records.

Investigators say that Hamilton called the 911 center at 3:02 a.m. Feb. 11 to report that McLamb had accidentally shot herself when she moved a loaded weapon that was lying on the coffee table as the two were watching a movie.

According to investigators, two shots were fired from the weapon that had been on the table; one went into the table and the other struck McLamb. Assistant District Attorney Quintin McGee said during Monday’s bond hearing that a shell casing was found under Hamilton’s bed.

“This is a sad, sad situation,” Butch Pope, Hamilton’s lawyer, told the court Monday. “These are nice folks. Crystal McLamb was a friend of Mr. Hamilton’s for years and years.”

Pope told the court that Hamilton and McLamb went out during the day on Feb. 10 and did some target shooting, then visited some friends. Later, each went to their home.

Before McLamb returned to Hamilton’s house that night, Hamilton thought he heard a noise outside and went to check because there had been some break-ins recently in the area, Pope said. He took his Taurus pistol with him. Hamilton didn’t find anything outside and went back into the house, placing the loaded gun on top of a coffee table, Pope said.

McLamb came over later that evening to watch a movie, Pope said. As they were talking, Pope said, McLamb picked up the gun from the coffee table, and the gun went off.

“There was no sign of any struggle, no evidence of any disagreement,” Pope said. “Just a terrible, terrible accident.

“(Hamilton) is no threat to the community. He’s certainly not going anywhere. He still gets emotional when he talks about Crystal,” Pope said.

The state maintains, based on the evidence found at the scene, that a second shot was fired.

“The fact that there was a second shell, along with some of the physical evidence discovered, indicates there was a second shot,” McGee said. “It is true that Mr. Hamilton called 911 and indicated an accident had occured. The evidence on the scene doesn’t jibe with the story that Mr. Hamilton gave law enforcement.”

The state asked for a $1 million bond. Pope asked for a $50,000 bond.

Utility scammers are hard at work.

In this scam, crooks pretend to represent an electric or gas utility company. They threaten to cut off your utility service unless allegedly overdue bills are paid immediately. And they’re at it again, calling individuals and businesses across North Carolina.

Now they’re taking extra steps to convince you that their call is legitimate by manipulating Caller ID (to make it look like they really are calling from Duke Energy), by transferring you to speak to a “supervisor” during the call, and even by playing music for you while you’re on hold.

Victims are sometimes instructed to send their payment by wire. But increasingly they’re told to deposit money into a specific account, or to put funds on a prepaid debit card or gift card and then call back to provide the card number.

Most people see through the scam, but some don’t. An eastern North Carolina homeowner lost more than $500 recently while a Charlotte resident lost almost $2,000, both via gift cards. A small business in the Triangle area sent more than $1,000 by wire, and another lost $2,200 via prepaid cards.

If you get a call threatening to cut off your power if you don’t pay:

Don’t send or transfer any money to the callers.

If you believe you may really owe money on your utility bill, hang up and call your utility directly, using a phone number from a recent bill or the company’s website.

Remember that real utility companies won’t use these methods to try to collect overdue accounts or cut off your service on such short notice.

If you believe you’ve fallen for a utility cut-off scam, call our office at 1-877-5-NO-SCAM toll-free in NC or by file a complaint online at ncdoj.gov.

This message brought to you on behalf of North Carolina Attorney General Roy Cooper.

On Saturday, Oct. 1, at 11:36 p.m. Patrolman Christopher Price of the Elizabethtown Police Department was dispatched to 3010 West Broad Street in reference to a larceny of a tractor trailer in progress.

Officer Price spoke with the reporting party and owner of the tractor trailer truck Kevin Stewart. Stewart advised that while he was at the business, Stewart’s Mobile Service, he heard his tractor trailer truck that he had parked in the PVA earlier crank up. Stewart then advised that he went outside and observed an unknown black male suspect in the cab of the tractor trailer operating the vehicle.

Stewart advised that he observed the suspect drive the tractor trailer truck across the street and run into a ditch. Shortly after the suspect wrecked the stolen tractor trailer truck, Sgt. Winfort Nichols, Patrolman Josh Pittman, and Patrolman Joseph Butler arrived on the scene and took the suspect into custody and identified him as Reginald Evans Lamb, 32 years old of 45 Hurricane Land Clinton.

Detective Sgt. Willie Thompson was contacted and arrived to process the scene and filed charges against Reginald Evans Lamb for Breaking & Entering of a Motor Vehicle and Larceny of a Motor Vehicle. Lamb, who is currently on federal probation, was processed and placed in Bladen County Jail under a $10,000 secured bond.

The Elizabethtown Police Department continues to investigate a homicide that ocurred in June on Church Street.

The victim has been identified as Blandio Nolasco Morales, 24 years of age. According to Lt. D. Cheshire, Morales is from a village named Amatenango de la Frontera, in Mexico near the Guatemala border.

“At the time of the homicide he was staying in a rental house at 902 Church Street Elizabethtown. It appears that Mr. Morales was temporarily residing at that address while completing seasonal work at Blue J. Farms,” said Lt. Cheshire. 

On Saturday, June 25, the police department received a call at about 5:50 p.m.  Officers responded to the residence following a report of a possible robbery and a subject that had been shot. Upon arrival, officers entered the home and found Morales dead of a gunshot wound.

A trial date has been set for the two remaining video sweepstakes charges against Richard McRoy Taylor Jr.

Superior Court Judge Douglas B. Sasser set May 15 for Taylor to be retried on charges of operating a video gaming machine and misdemeanor electronic sweepstakes. In September, a jury could not reach a unanimous verdict on either charge during a week-long trial in Bladen County Superior Court. Reports are the jury was hung at 11-1 for acquittal on both charges. The jury did find Taylor not guilty of a gambling charge.

William Gore, one of Taylor’s lawyers, on Monday asked for a trial date to be set or for the court to consider a special session if the District Attorney’s office was going to retry the charges. Gore asked about a special session since witnesses in the case will be brought in from different parts of the country. The trial in September was a special session.

Assistant District Attorney Quintin McGee told Sasser his office hasn’t decided whether to retry the cases. He also said that May was the first opening available on the trial calendar.

Sasser ruled for the case to be placed on the May trial calendar with a review of the case in December to see where the sides stand.

Taylor operates K&R Grocery located on N.C. 211. The case revolves around whether four Gift Surplus video sweepstakes machines confiscated from the store in August 2015 were legal under North Carolina law. State law prohibits, in most cases, games of chance, which, the state contended, these machines involved.

Taylor’s defense team maintained the games involved skill and dexterity, and that players received credit to make purchases from the Gift Surplus web site equal to the amount of money put into the machine.

A Bladenboro man accused of killing his father’s fiancee a year ago was ruled capable of proceeding to trial Monday during a competency hearing in Bladen County Superior Court.

Marquail Allen Burney, 22, is charged with first-degree murder in the death of Crystal Dionne Cruz last October.

In February, Burney was declared not competent to stand trial based on a mental health evaluation. He was sent to a state psychiatric hospital for treatment.

According to Bladen County Sheriff James McVicker, officers were called to the residence of David Burney on N.C. 41 West about 11:37 p.m. on Oct. 13, 2015, after David Burney reported Cruz missing. David Burney told investigators that he had arrived home from work and thought Cruz was asleep in the bedroom. When he went to check, he noticed she was missing.

David Burney told investigators that Marquail Burney had left the residence on foot after David Burney questioned him about Cruz’s disappearance, McVicker said. After a search near the residence, Cruz’s body was found in a vehicle in the backyard.

David Burney, Marquail Burney and Cruz all lived at the residence.

William Jocoby Singletary could have been spending the next five years in prison. Instead, the 26-year-old Bladenboro resident was given a second chance under a plea agreement with the state.

Singletary was given a suspended sentence, placed on 30 months of supervised probation and ordered to perform 72 hours of community service on two counts of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.

Prior to imposing the sentence Monday in Bladen County Superior Court, Judge Douglas B. Sasser called lawyers to the bench to discuss the agreement.

The charges against Singletary stemmed from a pair of traffic stops in February in Bladenboro where a firearm was found in the vehicle that Singletary was driving, according to a summary of the charges. Singletary was convicted in 2012 of assault with a deadly weapon inflicting serious injury and spent 32 months in state custody.

“This is a teachable moment for Mr. Singletary,” said Kyle Melvin, who was Singletary’s lawyer. “He’s actually remorseful and would like to thank (the District Attorney’s) office for tendering the suspended sentence. He has a five-year-old child to support and the child’s mother is in the courtroom. I don’t think you will find him in the courtroom again.”

Assistant District Attorney Quintin McGee told the court that he “wanted Mr. Singletary to understand” the opportunity being given for him to “straighten up, to support his family. If there are any violations of probation, I will seek immediate revocation” of the agreement.

Sasser told Singletary that it was rare for this type of agreement to be offered on these charges and that was why he called the lawyers to the bench. “If there are any alleged problems brought before me, I want you to understand I will not hesitate to revoke (the agreement),” Sasser said. “I hope you make the best of it.”

Kenneth Gray Ford Jr. was sentenced up to 29 months in prison Tuesday for writing a check from his employer to himself and cashing it.

Ford was sentenced to between 16 and 29 months under an agreement with the state for obtaining property by false pretense.

According to a court summary, in May, Ford took a check from his employer, Dublin Woodworks, and made it out to Kenneth Boyd for $377. He then cashed the check at Inman’s IGA in Dublin. Ford was captured on video surveillance and also admitted to his employer that he took the check.

Sheriff James A. McVicker announced the October 6^th arrest of Thomas Sherell Tawon Bryant, 29, of 209 Rachel Street, Lumberton, NC for an armed robbery that happened at the Smithfield Foods meat processing plant in Tar Heel in August.

McVicker said on August 16, 2016, Bryant approached a man who was getting off work early to go purchase a car. He confronted the victim while they were in their vehicle and demanded they turn over, a backpack and other valuables. Bryant displayed a semi-automatic handgun during the robbery. He made off with a backpack containing two laptops and a large sum of cash the victim was going to use to purchase a car.

Bryant was charged with Robbery With a Dangerous Weapon and Second Degree Kidnapping. He was placed in Bladen County Jail under a $250,000 secured bond.

The owner of a small grocery store in Council was found not guilty Tuesday of gambling and had two other video sweepstakes-related charges declared a mistrial.

Richard McRoy Taylor Jr., 77, who lives in Columbus County, operates K&R Grocery located on N.C. 211. The jury could not reach a verdict on charges of operating a video gaming machine and misdemeanor electronic sweepstakes.

The jury foreperson told Judge Ebern T. Watson in Bladen County Superior Court the panel was deadlocked 11-1 on the other charges and didn’t believe further deliberations would be able to deliver a unanimous verdict. It wasn’t revealed which way the jury was leaning.

The case revolved around whether four Gift Surplus video sweepstakes machines confiscated from the store in August 2015 were legal under North Carolina law. State law prohibits, in most cases, games of chance, which, the state contended, these machines involved.

Taylor’s defense team maintained the games involved skill and dexterity, and that players received credit to make purchases from the Gift Surplus web site equal to the amount of money put into the machine.

The jury of nine men and three women deliberated for about 3 1/2 hours over two sessions. The panel received the case Friday afternoon, then returned to court Tuesday morning. Shortly before noon, the jury told the court it had reached one verdict, but was deadlocked 11-1 on the other two charges. The jury returned about 15 minutes later and the foreperson told the judge the panel remained deadlocked.

After the verdict was read on the gambling charge, Watson declared a mistrial on the other two charges.

Taylor didn’t want to comment afterward, citing the two charges that were declared mistrials and could be retried.

George Hyler, Taylor’s lead counsel, said, “The jury listened to the evidence and did exactly what we think they should have done.”

District Attorney Jon David said his office would review the case to determine whether to retry Taylor on the charges of operating a video gaming machine and misdemeanor electronic sweepstakes.

“I’m grateful this jury struggled with these issues and that they were able to deliberate a verdict on at least one count,” David said. “I know we have a hung jury on the other two more important charges, and, so, we’ll be evaluating moving forward with what to do with those charges.”

David said some members of the jury told him afterward they based their acquittal of the gambling charge on whether Taylor knew the machines may be against the law.

“It concerned testimony concerning knowledge on (Taylor’s) behalf about whether these machines were legal or not, and what had been communicated to him by the gaming industry, the owners of the machines,” David said. “I’m unclear, at this point, if the jury is basing their decision on the unique facts of this case, or about whether this issue is one more difficult to resolve.

“We have to look at all cases on a case-by-case basis, so, we’ll be reviewing moving forward whether we’ll be retrying these cases.”

The trial was the latest in a series of cases pitting district attorney’s and law enforcement agencies across the state against video sweepstakes machine manufacturers and operators of the once-popular sweepstakes businesses.

Taylor’s case began May 14, 2015, when Bladen County Sheriff’s Office deputies were called to K&R Grocery to investigate a break-in, according to testimony. Investigator Matt Hester testified that while searching for evidence, he noticed the four gaming machines in a side room of the store.

On Aug. 11, 2015, David Borresen of the Cumberland County Sheriff’s Office testified that he entered the store and played one of the machines. He testified that he put $20 in one of the machines, played the Lucky Shamrock 2 game once and won $31. An 11-minute surveillance video was played of Borresen’s undercover operation.

The four Gift Surplus sweepstakes machines were confiscated Aug. 12, 2015. Taylor was charged with operating a video game machine on Dec. 7, 2015, gambling on June 6, and misdemeanor electronic sweepstakes on Aug. 1.

Raleigh – On Monday, October 10th at approximately 8:08 p.m., two members of the Robeson County Sheriff’s office accompanied by a sergeant with the State Highway Patrol were conducting search and rescue operations in Lumberton.  Preliminary information shows while traveling on a flooded portion of west Fifth Street, the officers encountered a male individual.  The male became hostile towards the officers and displayed a handgun.  After observing the handgun, the sergeant shot the man who succumbed to his injuries.  The identity of the subject is unknown at this time. 

“I am proud that our first responders were in the community rendering aid to our citizens,” said Colonel Bill Grey, commander of the North Carolina State Highway Patrol. “While we are saddened by any loss of life, I am thankful that our member and the Robeson County Sheriffs’ deputies were not injured.”

At the request of the Highway Patrol, the State Bureau of Investigation is conducting the shooting investigation.  The sergeant has been placed on administrative leave pending an internal investigation as is standard operating procedure in any Patrol involved shooting

Raleigh – The State Highway Patrol has released the name of the deceased involved in the Monday evening shooting in Lumberton, N.C.

According to the preliminary information, on Monday, October 10^th at approximately 8:08 p.m., two members of the Robeson County Sheriff’s Office accompanied by a sergeant with the State Highway Patrol were conducting search and rescue operations in Lumberton.  The information shows while traveling on a flooded portion of west Fifth Street, the officers encountered a male individual.  The male became hostile towards the officers and displayed a handgun.  After observing the handgun, the sergeant shot the man who succumbed to his injuries.

The deceased has been identified as Dennis Hunt, 56, of Lumberton, N.C.

The sergeant has been identified as J. F. Hinson. Hinson is a 13-year veteran assigned to the Troop B District 7 Lumberton State Highway Patrol office located in Robeson County. He has been placed on administrative leave pending an internal investigation which is standard operating procedure in any Patrol involved shooting.

At the request of the Highway Patrol, the State Bureau of Investigation is conducting the shooting investigation.

Sheriff James A. McVicker announced today that FEMA IA Housing Inspectors are in the field in Bladen County to assess damaged homes as part of the IA (Individual Assistance) registration process for applicants.

These inspectors are fully credentialed and are working to expedite the IA process for disaster survivors.

FEMA has a two part program that includes help for individuals and housing and for Other Needs Assistance.

In the Housing Assistance program they help provide:

• Temporary housing
• Lodging expenses reimbursement
• Repairs and replacement
• Permanent or semi-permanent housing construction

Under the Other needs Assistance Program they provide:

• Medical and dental expenses
• Funeral expenses
• Personal property
• Transportation
• Other expenses or serious needs

To find out more about the program go to the FEMA website and the Individual Disaster Assistance section.

“We need for our citizens to be aware that after any natural disaster there are, sadly, individuals who will take advantage of the situation and try to cheat homeowners,” said McVicker. “Make sure you go to the FEMA website to get accurate information and check with your local government Emergency Management to find out where and when FEMA will be set up and take applications in person.”

McVicker said homeowners should be vigilant and ask for identification and credentials from anyone who shows up at your home unsolicited seeking to help you. You should be very cautious about giving out your financial information such as bank account numbers, routing numbers, credit card and debit card numbers or PIN numbers.

“Unfortunately there are some contractors who want to prey on those in need. These few bad folks cause the legitimate contractors and government officials a lot of problems. If you think someone is not who they say they are then call 911 and get a vehicle description and if possible a license tag number,” said McVicker.

The FEMA IA website has already registered 17,600 applicants and have dispersed $3 million dollars as of 7:00 pm Thursday, October 13^th.

“I know it has been a long week for everyone and we still have a ways to go,” McVicker said. “My officers and staff have worked tirelessly to assist the citizens of this community and we will continue to do so. Please call us if you need us. We are here to help in any way we can and that does not mean just routine law enforcement duties.”

On Saturday, Oct. 15, around 11:54 p.m. the Elizabethtown Police Department’s Sergeant / Investigator Willie Thompson along with Sergeant Roger Davis and Patrolman Daniel Ivey were working traffic in the area of East Broad Street near Dewitt Street.

Contact was made with Tiffany Shaquonia Brown who was operating a 2010 Honda Accord. Also present in the vehicle was passenger Henry Lamont Webb. Upon further investigation officers discovered suspected cocaine, a concealed handgun, and drug paraphernalia in the vehicle.

Tiffany Brown was charged with possession of cocaine and carrying a concealed weapon and is currently being held in Bladen County Jail under a $3,000 bond.

Henry Webb was also charged with carrying a concealed weapon, possession of a firearm by a felon, and possession of drug paraphernalia and is currently being held in Bladen County Jail under a $10,000 bond.

DALLAS – Corrections and law enforcement officers are searching for inmate Dennis Carver #0478723, a minimum-security inmate.assigned to Gaston Correctional Center.  Carver left this afternoon while performing maintenance duties outside the prison’s perimeter fence.

He is serving a five-year sentence for larceny of a motor vehicle and was scheduled for release in March 2019.

Anyone with information on Carver’s whereabouts is asked to call local law enforcement or Gaston Correctional Center at 704-922-3861.

A Bladen County man is facing charges in Columbus County following a robbery at the Whiteville Tractor Supply Store on Thursday.

Patrick Kyle Prevatte, 29, is alleged to have entered the Tractor Supply Store located at 26 Whites Crossing Lane, at about 8 p.m. and pretended he was going to purchase a drink.

Prevatte is alleged to have reached in to the drawer when the clerk opened the cash register. The clerk struggled with Prevatte but he was able to grab about $1,000 in cash, according to reports.

According to reports, Prevatte was seen running towards some woods near the store. After a search of the area by Whiteville police, an abandoned car was found with items inside that belonged to Prevatte.

Prevatte surrendered to the Whiteville Police Department on Monday after police made contact with his family, according to reports.

He is charged with felony common law robbery and larceny. Prevatte was also wanted on a warrant from Brunswick County for failing to appear on larceny and possession of stolen goods charges.