Warrants also state Green watched pornography with the child, whowas"known to the suspect prior to the incident," according to APD spokeswoman Christina Hallingse at the time. The following is a list of 19 other individuals indicted: Teresa Leann Riffle, 36, of Rosehill Drive in Lincolnton was charged with possession of methamphetamine, possession with intent to sell and deliver marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia. Police say the following people werearrested in the drug trafficking conspiracy and charged: Dominic Sharel Adams, 32 of Hickory, and Tyrell Lewis Jenkins, 33 of Hickory, are still being sought. Breaking Newton- the Catawba County Register of Deeds has just been arrested for embezzlement of a public office. For the latest breaking news, weather and traffic alerts, download the WCNC Charlotte mobile app. The contracts appear to have been initially handled by Catawba'sutilities and engineering department and are signed by director Barry Edwards. Catawba also worked with Petra Engineering, a Huntersville-based firm that was identified by prosecutors as another previously employer of Wiseman. A Lenoir man was found guilty on drug trafficking and firearms charges during U.S. District Court in Statesville on Thursday. The individuals, with the exception of Poteat, are charged with various counts of possession with the intent to sell and deliver crack cocaine and sell and deliver crack cocaine. Deputies arrested Jeb Stuart Bass Monday night. According to SBI Public Information Director Anjanette Grube, the North Carolina Conference of District Attorneys requested the agency investigate allegations that Spencer fraudulently obtained improper compensation during her time as an elected official. Law enforcement agencies conducted a six-month investigation into a drug trafficking organization after receiving multiple complaintsof drug sales and gun-related violence. "This entire situation is a political attack," Reid said before the election. You can cancel at any time. We first updated WSOCTV news app users with a notification just after before 10 a.m. Thursday that the son of thecurrent sheriff had been indicted. Colby Ray Williams, 36, of Flay Road in Lincolnton was charged with possession of methamphetamine. (renews at {{format_dollars}}{{start_price}}{{format_cents}}/month + tax). According to Hickory Police, multiple law enforcement agencies from across the. In Buncombe County, Wiseman's company was awardedat least $2.5 million in county contracts over a roughly four-year period, the first of which was signed less than a month after it was registered by Wisemanin 2014. Read more top trending stories onwsoctv.com: 2023 Cox Media Group. You can cancel at any time. Instead, county attorney Debra Bechtel responded. Investigators are continuing to search for missing 37-year-old Alison Thomas. Craig Gerard Kempinski, 48, of Lincolnton was charged during three separate incidents. pic.twitter.com/akfBHeKolJ. Law enforcement agencies conducted a six-month investigation into a drug trafficking organization after receiving multiple complaints of . The charges come following an investigation after an ex-girlfriend claimed he had stalked her. According to the countys website, Spencer has served as Register of Deeds since December 2004. The warrant was heavily redacted, but said agents were looking for evidence of stalking, cyber-stalking, and of Reid "willfully failing to discharge the duties of his office.". awardedat least $2.5 million in county contracts. Catawba County attorney Daniel Ray Green indicted on statutory sex offense charge. You have permission to edit this article. {{start_at_rate}} {{format_dollars}} {{start_price}} {{format_cents}} {{term}}, {{promotional_format_dollars}}{{promotional_price}}{{promotional_format_cents}} {{term}}, 'On Patrol: Live' -- Brookford Police to be featured on TV show, Destroy a Bradford pear tree and get a free replacement, Two seriously injured in crash on Tate Boulevard; helicopter flies one victim to hospital, He's 24 and the new police chief in Town of Brookford; Armstrong: We have the opportunity to really change someone's life, Concerned parent brings poster of explicit quotes to school board meeting, Catawba County Hornets blank Albion 36-0 to win national championship, Newton man faces attempted murder charge in connection with attack at Catawba Valley Medical Center. Last month, a judge unsealed a search warrant used by the SBI at the Catawba County Sheriffs office in April. The Catawba County Sheriffs Office is asking for the publics help in finding a suspect in the armed robbery of a convenience store in Newton. You have permission to edit this article. It is the only other North Carolina county beyond Buncombe that the Citizen Times has found so far to have done work with EIC. Charges range from possession with intent to sell and deliver to sale, deliver and trafficking in narcotics. Wanda Greene's plea deal was accepted. And on March 13, he was charged with maintaining a dwelling for a controlled substance and trafficking. CHARLOTTE, N.C. (WBTV) - The Catawba County Register of Deed was expected to appear in court Tuesday on charges of embezzlement as an elected official. You can listen now on Android, iPhone, Amazon, and other internet-connected devices. Neither immediately responded to a request for comment Friday. Wiki page on Reconstruction-era Klan Violence in Catawba County - 1868 to 1873 in Catawba County, North Carolina, United States. Constitutional carry bill aims to eliminate handgun permits, Medic: Teen dead, driver seriously injured in crash on I-485 in west Charlotte. She didnt say a word after posting bond and walking out of the county jail with her attorney at her side. Brandi Nichole Hardin, 34, of Stanley was indicted on two counts each of possession with intent to sell and deliver oxycodone, sell and deliver oxycodone, and maintaining a vehicle for a controlled substance. The U.S. Attorneys Office declined to comment on whether Catawba or any of its officials are under investigation. Catawba County Register of Deeds Donna Hicks Spencer is facing an embezzlement charge following a grand jury indictment, according to the State Bureau of Investigation.An SBI spokesperson confirmed Spencer was indicted Monday on charges of one count of embezzlement by a local or charitable officer, two counts of obtaining property by false pretenses and one count of the register of deeds failing to discharge duty.https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/crime/catawba-county-register-of-deeds-indicted-for-embezzlement/275-27138ea9-b41f-4e56-b537-32b40f0e0b19 He is one of six males . The indictment also states that Reid repeatedly contacted his ex-girlfriend and sent her messages detailing her location when she did not know how he knew where she was. That court case has now been moved to March. Police say additional charges are expected. CATAWBA COUNTY, NC (WBTV) - Twenty-two people are being indicted in a drug trafficking operation in Catawba County. Damario Leshaun Rousseau will be tried as an adult in the shooting death of 35-year-old Shonniel Blackburn in Hickory. Download the WSOCTV news app for your smartphone and get updates on this developing story as they come in. Catawba County Register of Deeds Donna Hicks Spencer is facing an embezzlement charge following a grand jury indictment, according to the State Bureau of Investigation. She said Catawba has no active contracts with Wiseman but declined to say whether the county has found any improper relationships between any officials and Wiseman. While investigators and the community continue the search, Thomas' family members said their focus right now is doing their best to hold each other up in what has been a difficult time. at approximately 10 a.m. on. INDICTED . The judge told Reid if he is convicted of all five indictments he could face more than eight years in prison. At one point, Reid said the womanvisited him at work and waited in an area where the narcotics tracking devises were openly kept. Officers said they were called. According to court records, her new court date is March 21. Narcotics officers received a number of tips on the Drug Tip Line at 704-736-8606 and complaints from citizens to help identify the street level dealers. [Reid defeated in Catawba County sheriff's race amid stalking allegations]. Man died Wednesday. All rights reserved. The State Bureau of Investigation said Spencer was indicted Monday by a Catawba County grand jury on one count of embezzlement by a local or charitable officer, two counts of obtaining. {{start_at_rate}} {{format_dollars}} {{start_price}} {{format_cents}} {{term}}, {{promotional_format_dollars}}{{promotional_price}}{{promotional_format_cents}} {{term}}, By Mackenzie Wicker This station is part of Cox Media Group Television. Crystal Hill walks out of Tuesday's sit-down interview, WBTV Investigates: Monday's unscheduled interview with Dr. A Lenoir man was found guilty on drug trafficking and firearms charges during U.S. District Court in Statesville on Thursday. Two Catawba County residents indicted on drug charges in Lincoln County. Get up-to-the-minute news sent straight to your device. Updated: May. You have permission to edit this article. In Catawba, EIC was tasked with design services at a county landfill, evaluations of potential projects and financial analysis of solid waste funds. Neither Catawba County Manager Mick Berry nor Board of Commissioners Chairman Randy Isenhower responded to questions from the Citizen Times regarding whether officials have reviewed their business relationship with Wiseman, or whether they've been contacted by federal investigators. Jun 2, 2022 Updated Jul 10, 2022. CATAWBA, NC (WBTV) - A week after a raid at his home that deputies say turned up meth, 69 guns and $100,00 in stolen goods, Jeremy Mayfield has been indicted by a grand jury on drug charges. Catawba Co. Register of Deeds Donna Hicks Spencer is facing an embezzlement charge after a grand jury indictment per @SBI1937 The state started investigating allegations in 2020 that Spencer. Melissa Dawn Campbell, 37, of Charleston Trail in Cherryille was charged with possession with intent to sell and deliver marijuana and possession of methamphetamine. Sources told Channel 9 that the tracking device came from the narcotics division which Reid supervised. HICKORY, N.C. - Nearly two dozen people were indicted in a drug trafficking bust in Catawba County this week. The Lincoln County Grand Jury returned 64 charges for the narcotics violations. Christopher Lewis, an attorney representing Wiseman in the countys civil suit against, did not respond to a request for comment Friday. CATAWBA COUNTY, N.C. Police have arrested the Catawba County Register of Deeds for embezzlement, Channel 9 learned on Tuesday. Former Catawba County utilities director sentenced for bribery conviction Barry Edwards, 66, was sentenced to one year and one day in prison after being found guilty of accepting bribes from 2012 . The cases of the 15-year-old and 17-year-old suspects will remain in juvenile court, unless either of them is indicted by the Catawba County Grand Jury, District Attorney Scott Reilly said in. He is one of six males . Catawba County is about an hour and 15 minutes east of Asheville. CATAWBA COUNTY, N.C. Former Catawba County Sheriff's Office Capt. catawba county sheriffs office: felony disseminate obscenity to minor under 13: 4/17/2023: 22 cr 276143-170 : catawba county sheriffs office: possessing obscenity with intent to disseminate : 22 cr 276143-170 : catawba county sheriffs office: disseminate obscenity to a minor under 13: 4/17/2023: 22 cr 276960-170 : catawba county sheriffs office A Georgia inmate was found guilty of trafficking methamphetamine in Catawba and Burke counties, according to the U.S. Attorney for the Western Pathologist says body found in Conover woods was. Those arrested were placed in the Catawba County Detention Center. According to the court documents, Spencer is accused of embezzling more than $100,000 from Catawba County. Documents obtained by the Citizen Times through a public records request show that beginning in mid-2015, Catawba government agreed to paynearly $290,000 through 11 contracts toEnvironmental Infrastructure Consulting, a limited liability company owned by Georgia-based engineer Joe Wiseman. have pleaded guilty to corruption charges, vacations, meals, wine, game tickets and other gifts, Your California Privacy Rights / Privacy Policy. An engineer tied to a contracts-for-kickbacks scheme in Buncombe also did landfill and financial work in Catawba County. All rights reserved. A federal grand jury indictment handed up in August accused Buncombe County Manager Wanda Greene and her assistant managers Mandy Stone and Jon Creighton of taking vacations, meals, wine, game. (renews at {{format_dollars}}{{start_price}}{{format_cents}}/month + tax). CATAWBA COUNTY, NC (WBTV) - Twenty-two people are being indicted in a drug trafficking operation in Catawba County. Join us from North Carolina, South Carolina, or on the go anywhere. Twelve people, including two Catawba County residents, were indicted by a Lincoln County grand jury on drug charges in May. Copyright 2021 WBTV. Catawba Co. Register of Deeds Donna Hicks Spencer is facing an embezzlement charge after a grand jury indictment per @SBI1937 The state started investigating allegations in 2020 that Spencer fraudulently obtained improper compensation during her time as an elected official @wcnc pic.twitter.com/8XLvHzNoAn. 0. Adams faces a charge of conspiracy to traffic cocaine and Jenkins faces a charge of conspiracy to traffic cocaine. Detectives said Donna Spencer stole more than $100,000 from. Crystal Hill, Thousands of Duke Energy customers without power in Gaston County, Search for answers in Shanquella Robinsons death stretches into fourth month, PLAN AHEAD: Latest Weather Forecast Video. The investigation into this case is active and ongoing. . Elbert James Walton, 70, of Hickory and Jamey Danyel Lineberger, 44, of the town of Catawba, were among the 12 people indicted on drug charges stemming from undercover operations conducted by the Lincoln County Sheriffs Office dating as far back as 2020, a news release from the sheriffs office said. Get the latest in local public safety news with this weekly email. The indictment follows an investigation into allegations that Donna Hicks Spencer fraudulently obtained improper compensation during her time as an elected official. The indictment indicates that Reid obtained the GPS tracker from the Catawba County Sheriff's Office for the purpose of tracking his ex-girlfriend. On Feb. 14, Kempinski was charged with trafficking by possession, by sale and by delivery, and maintaining a dwelling for a controlled substance. login . Wiseman has denied prosecutors accusations and has alleged $25,000 in damages caused by Buncombe. Get up-to-the-minute news sent straight to your device. 2023 Cox Media Group. Jason Reid appeared in court on Friday after being indicted by a Lincoln County grand jury on felony and misdemeanor charges. NEWTON There is currently a reward being offered in Catawba County for bounty hunting gardeners who are willing to seek and destroy foul sme, Two people suffered serious injuries in a three-car crash at the intersection of Lenoir-Rhyne Blvd. A new court date was set for Nov. 4. They now await sentencing in federal court, and Creighton and Greene have since reached financial settlements with Buncombein civil suits. A number of people were indicted under the Ku Klux Klan Act of 1871, but most . All rights reserved. CATAWBA COUNTY, N.C. A Catawba County high school teacher and coach is accused of sex offenses with a 15-year-old student. 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