National Night Out !

Members from the Lee County Sheriff’s Office will be visiting the following locations on the evening of August 3rd, 2010 in celebration of the National Night Out 2010!

The Sheriff encourages everyone to visit their community site location below during 6pm and 8pm. Some will offer food, games and prizes for all that show up!

For more information on National Night Out or to learn more about public safety information, forming a community watch site, or how to form a National Night Out site, which is held every year in August, click on the link above or contact Lt. David Prevette with the department.

Center Church

Tempting Church

Carbonton Community Center

Beaver Creek Church

Broadway Community Church

Carolina Trace Fire Dept

Ebenezer Church

Ward Memorial Church

Lemon Springs Ruritan Club

Northwest Fire Dept

Sanford Garden on Cemetery Rd

Jimmy Ammons on Farrell Rd

Chestnut AME Zion Church

Brookhaven & Parkwood Community at Tramway Park

Hillview Church

Stronger Communities are Safer Communities

And That's Why They Call it "DOPE"....

A joint operation by the Lee County Sheriff’s Office Narcotics Division and the Sanford Police Departments Tactical Narcotics Team has resulted in the seizure of 28.5 grams of Cocaine and the arrest of one person. Agents arrested Jesse Deametric Daniels, 29, of Beulah Brown Rd for trafficking Cocaine by possession, trafficking Cocaine by transportation, conspiracy to traffic Cocaine, contributing to the delinquency of a minor, maintain a vehicle to store drugs and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Agents intercepted Daniels in the parking lot of a Main Street business after conducting a surveillance operation. Daniels is also accused of bringing his five year old son to conduct a drug transaction. He was placed in the Lee County Jail under $100,000.00 secured bond. A second arrest in the case is expected.

Carthage Man Arrested with Cocaine

Leland Stanton Montgomery III, 42, of 295 McKeithan Road, Carthage, was arrested on 7-23-2010 for possession with intent to sell or deliver Cocaine and possession of drug paraphernalia after agents found him in possession of approximately 5 grams of Cocaine at a local business on Main Street. McKeithan was placed in the Lee County Jail under $5000.00 secured bond.

Man Charged with Kidnpapping & Others Charges

Robert Gray of 547 Forestwood Park Rd. Sanford called 911 and reported his son, Brandon Gerard Gray was holding his girlfreind at gun point threatening to kill her. Gray left the residence before deputies arrived and was stopped by Sanford PD officers after a broadcast was given out for Grays vehicle. Gray was detained by Sanford Offciers and the victm, Nartarsha Alston (36) of 2673 Mallard Cove Rd. Sanford was found in the vehicle unharmed. A pistol was also found in the vehicle. Brandon Gerard Gray (30) of 547 Forestwood Park Rd. Sanford was taken into custody by LCSO detectives and charged with 1st degree kidnapping, assault w/ a deadly weapon w/ intent to kill and communicating threats; he was held under no bond. (more charges are expected today)

Evergreen Street Homeowner Gets Dealt a Straight Flush

A local man living at 445 Evergreen St was arrested on Saturday after Sanford and Lee County investigators raided his home for the second time. Narcotics agents with the Sanford Police Department and the Lee County Sheriff’s Office searched 31-year-old Michael Jerrod Johnson’s home and concluded that he was running an “illegal nightclub” out of his home.

Agents reportedly found nine bags of marijuana, 94 cans of beer, six bottles of liquor, an assortment of mixers and food items as well as 81 Phillies brand “blunt” cigars. Agents said that the cigars are typically restuffed with marijuana and smoked.

Johnson is charged with maintaining a dwelling to keep drugs, a felony, and possession for the sale of alcohol without ABC permits. In addition to Johnson, six adults and a minor were arrested. The minor, who was released to their parents, is being charged with possession to intent to sell marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia. The six adults — 18-year-old Tenequa Shaniece Jackson of 307 Wheel Hollow Apartment in Sanford, 22-year-old Cynthia Nicole Bell of 414 Maple Ave. in Sanford, 23-year-old Preosha Rochun Gunter of 1541 Winslow Drive in Sanford, Jerome Jewett Johnson III of 678 N. Plank Road in Sanford, 17-year-old Kiante Devon Fox of 1321 O’Quinn Road in Sanford and 30-year-old Kevin Devonne Judd of 422 Evergreen St. in Sanford — are all charged with misdemeanor possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia. Johnson was being held in Lee County Jail under a $7,500 bond, police said. His criminal record includes convictions in 2000 for possession of stolen goods and property damage.

Lee County Man Convicted for Forty Years

A jury of his peers found 25-year-old Lynn Nathaniel French guilty Monday on several felony charges that include attempted first-degree murder and assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill. The charges came from a November 2008 incident in which French was alleged to have shot two teenagers, Amanda Ricketson and Megan Cavanaugh.

Susan Doyle, Lee County District Attorney stated that French was found guilty of two counts of attempted first-degree murder, two counts of assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill, two counts of discharging a firearm into an occupied property and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Following the guilty verdict Monday, Superior Court Judge Franklin Lanier sentenced French to a minimum of 490 months and a maximum of 616 months in prison.

Local law enforcement leaders said that this stiff sentence should serve as a warning to others committing violent crimes.

Drug Unit Busy This Week

On July 14, 2010, members of the Lee County Sheriff’s Office Narcotics Division and the Sanford Police Departments Tactical Narcotics Team and Selective Enforcement Units conducted a joint operation resulting in the execution of a search warrant at 403 Dudley Street in Sanford. As a result of the investigation, agents seized 10 dosage units of Crack Cocaine, several small bags of Marijuana and 3 firearms. One of the firearms had been reported stolen from Harnett County. Agents charged Christopher McCormick, 20, of 501 Timberwood Place, Sanford, with possession with intent to sell Cocaine and possession of drug paraphernalia. He was placed in the Lee County Jail under $15,000.00 secured bond. Agents also arrested Taj Sharief Brown, 17, of 313 Green Street, Sanford for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and possession of a controlled substance in a confinement facility. He was placed in the Lee County Jail under $15,000.00 secured bond. Agents also charged Brian Keith Williams Jr, 20, of 425 Fields Drive, Jamar Lacolby Austin, 23, of 381 Jesse Road, Broadway, and Walter Allen Walker, 26, of 902 Cobb Street, Sanford, with possession of Marijuana and drug paraphernalia. All three were cited and released.

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On 07/14/10, Lee County Drug Agents arrested Justin Ray Griffis, 19, of 84 Plant Bed Lane, Sanford, for possession with intent to sell a schedule II controlled substance (Oxycodone), maintaining a dwelling to store drugs and possession of drug paraphernalia after deputies assisted Lee County probation officers conduct a probation search at his home. Griffis was placed in the Lee County Jail under $10,000.00 secured bond.

State Releases Crime Rates For Lee County

The N.C. Department of Justice and State Attorney General Roy Cooper released the annual crime report and it appears that Lee County crime rates followed the statewide trend and dipped last year.

Here is the State-wide summary. (as of July 16, 2010)

The scores factor in an area’s population to determine the rate of crimes per 100,000 people. Lee County’s 3,393.0 crime rate falls below the state’s 4,178.4 in 2009, somewhere in the mid-range of numbers across the state.

The county’s violent crime rate dropped from 294.4 in 2008 to 255.6 in 2009, while the rate of property crimes — burglary, larceny and motor vehicle theft — registered a 6.4 percent drop from 3,352.4 in 2008 to 3,137.3 in 2009.

The statistics show a 19.1 percent drop in the murder rate and a 17.6 percent drop in robberies statewide, although the state’s rape rate remained unchanged at 25.2.

Once the State releases their series of reports in detail, we'll post them here.

For additional details from Wednesday’s report, visit the Department of Justice Website at http://www.ncdoj.gov./

Deep River Resident Arrested For Drugs

Annette Derr Bowles, 49, of 428 Deep River Road, Sanford, was charged on 7-13-2010 for possession with intent to sell and deliver Marijuana, maintaining a dwelling to store drugs and possession of drug paraphernalia after agents discovered approximately 301 grams of Marijuana in her home during the execution of a search warrant. Bowles was released under $10,000.00 unsecured bond. The seized drugs had estimated street value of nearly $1500.00.

Joint Operation Uncovers Approximately $34,000.00 Cash

On Saturday July 10, 2010 Deputies from both the Lee County Sheriff's Office and the Harnett County Sheriff's Office conducted an joint operation that led agencies to the seizure of approximately $33,930.00 dollars in U.S. Currency.

Chief Deputy Randal Butler stated that the investigation was ongoing and at least one arrest had been made at this time. Further information on this case will be released as it becomes available or permissible.

Notice to Facebook Users

The Sheriff has a new Facebook group. We've consolidated two accounts and created a new FB Group page. If you were a member of the existing "Lee County Sheriff's Office North Carolina", please go to that page under your Groups, scroll down and click "Leave Group" on the left hand side and then join the new group located here. This will ensure that you have the latest news and updates. Thanks and help us pass the word!

The Sheriff's Facebook page itself is a static page and will not allow friends to be joined, that's why the Group was created...

You Can Run But You Can't Hide

An undercover operation by members of the Lee County Sheriff’s Office has resulted in the arrest of one person wanted in two other counties for unrelated crimes. On 7-6-2010, agents arrested Cecilia Irene Timmons, 33, of 5316 North Lakes Drive, Sanford, for possession with intent to sell a counterfeit controlled substance, ID theft, resist a public officer and possession of drug paraphernalia after an undercover operation in the Deep River Community of Lee County.

Timmons was uncooperative and gave officers false information regarding her identification. After being placed in the Lee County Jail, agents discovered her real name and discovered that she was wanted in Moore County for child abuse, assault on a child under 12 and speeding to elude arrest. Timmons was also wanted in Randolph County for assault with deadly weapon on a government official, fleeing to elude arrest and resisting a public officer. In addition, Timmons was wanted for absconding from Probation/Parole and was also wanted by the North Carolina Department of Corrections. Timmons was placed in the Lee County jail under $100,000.00 secured bond.

Sheriff and Deputy Chief Invited to NC House of Reps

This week, Sheriff Carter and Deputy Chief Randall Butler were invited by Rep. Jimmy Love of Sanford and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Joe Hackney to attend a meeting to discuss financial funding and grants in which the department could take advantage of. Further details of the available funding will be shared at a later time.

(Pictured; Rep. Jimmy Love, Chief Randall Butler, House Speaker Joe Hackney and Sheriff Tracy Carter)