Center Church Community Watch Group Hosts Meeting

Center Church Community Watch Group invites all Lee county citizens to come out for a night of community awareness on Thursday, November 19th @ 7pm.

Guest Speaker will be Mrs. Susie Thomas, Clerk of Superior Court, Lee county.

The facility is located at the Center United Methodist Church, 4141 South Plank Road.

Third Annual Shopping With The Sheriff

Sheriff Carter announces the Third Annual "Shopping with the Sheriff" program.

This program is designed to benefit less fortunate children in Lee County during the Christmas holidays. The sheriff’s office will sponsor five children from age 6-10. If you know of a deserving child please submit the following information before November 30, 2009.

For questions or assistance call Lt. David Prevatte at 919-718-4560 ext.5627.

Please have the following information available when you call:
Name of Child
Age
Parent/Guardian Contact Information
and why you feel this child is deserving.

Mail to Lee County Sheriff’s Office
"Shopping with Sheriff Program"
P.O. Box 4567
Sanford, NC 27330

UPDATE - Suspected Kidnapper At-Large

(Please scroll down for update)
The Lee County Sheriff’s Office is investigating a kidnapping that occurred on Nicholson Rd. in Lee County. William Powell reported to the Lee County Sheriff’s Office that his daughter, Angelica Powell, 21, was taken from his residence on Nicholson Rd. by Lewis Marvin Fulton, 29, as she was sitting in her vehicle. While investigating the kidnapping, a detective spotted Lewis Fulton’s vehicle. After chasing Mr. Fulton into Harnett, Moore and Chatham counties, Mr. Fulton’s vehicle was disabled on Walter Bright Rd., located in Chatham County, after deputies deployed stop sticks. Mr. Fulton then jumped from the vehicle and ran into nearby woods. The victim, Angelica Powell was located, uninjured, inside the vehicle. Lewis Marvin Fulton remains at large at this time. Warrants have been obtained on Mr. Fulton for Kidnapping, assault on a female, larceny of a motor vehicle, possession of a stolen motor vehicle, speeding to elude arrest, and failure to register as a sex offender.

**************************************UPDATE 11-04-09 **********************

Wednesday, Lee County deputies and agents with the State Bureau of Investigation learned that Fulton was hiding out in a room at the Budget Inn on Hawkins Avenue. Lt. Van Holly of the Lee County Sheriff’s Office said Fulton was hit with the sex offender charge because he’d allegedly moved without alerting the sheriff’s office of the change.Fulton was the focus of controversy in Sanford in 2007 when he was being considered as a featured potter for the city’s ARToberFest celebration that October. The decision drew ire from some in the community because of his criminal record, having pleaded guilty to taking indecent liberties with a child and served prison time for the offense in the past. Fulton eventually withdrew from the festival.

Holly said Wednesday that the state Highway Patrol will charge Fulton in coming days with several traffic violations stemming from the chase. Fulton was jailed without bond

Four Burglary Suspects Arrested

10/27/09 Kenneth Willard Hooker of 1611 Tempting Church Rd. Sanford reported he came home at approximately 11:30 AM and found 2 white males burglarizing his home, which then fled the scene. Hooker reported the suspects removed a diamond ring and a cell phone taken from the home. Deputies arrived soon after and were able to apprehended the suspects.
Charged with felony breaking and entering, felony larceny and felony possession of stolen goods were:

• William Anthony Suggs (21) W/M of 2805 Deep River Rd. Sanford; $15,000 secured bond.
  
• Robert Theodore Wilson Jr. (22) W/M of 612 Denada Path, Sanford, $20,000 secured bond.
  
• Allen Aldridge (23) W/M of 511 N. Horner Blvd. Sanford, $15,000 secured bond.
  
• Tiffany Maria Pritt (19) W/F of 511 N. Horner Blvd. Sanford, $12,000 secured bond

Crime Alert! Avent Ferry Road Residents

10/26/09 Terry Leon Rabon of 1212 Avents Ferry Rd. Sanford, reported he came home at approximately 11:20 AM and found the rear door to his residence opened. Rabon investigated and found a white male burglarizing his home. The intruder confronted Rabon and threatened him with a firearm. Rabon retreated and called 911. The suspect was described as a white male, approximately 30 yrs old, wearing a toboggan and was driving and older model white Ford Explorer. Anyone having information on this case is urged to call the Sheriff’s Office.

Shooting Trial Over

Story as posted on Sanford Herald's website.

GREENSBORO — A federal jury on Tuesday awarded former Army sergeant Stephen Phelps at least $750,000 in his suit against the Moore County Sheriff’s Office and the former deputy — now the chief deputy of the Lee County Sheriff’s Office — who shot him and another soldier during a 2002 military training exercise. As the verdict was read, Phelps showed no emotion. Former deputy Randall Butler, now the second in command under Lee County Sheriff Tracy Carter, closed his eyes. Phelps said afterward: “I was happy that the truth finally came out.”The jury rendered the verdict about 9:45 p.m., after more than two hours of deliberation. Minutes before the verdict, jury members clarified with the judge the rules on awarding compensatory damages.After the verdict, lawyers sparred over whether the total damages were $750,000 or $850,000. The jury awarded $650,000 in compensatory damages and $100,000 or $200,000 in punitive damages.Phelps’ lawyer, Carlos Mahoney, had sought $1.2 million.Army 1st Lt. Tallas Tomeny died in the same incident that left Phelps severely injured. Tomeny’s estate settled out of court.Phelps and Tomeny had been taking part in Robin Sage, an exercise that trains soldiers for Special Forces.For the training, soldiers simulate infiltration of a foreign nation. Phelps and Charles Leiber, a civilian who was playing the role of an adviser, testified that they thought when Butler stopped their vehicle it was part of the exercise.Butler had argued that the men were acting suspiciously in an area that had experienced a lot burglaries. Butler also said he saw two machine guns and that Tomeny had told Phelps to kill him.On Tuesday, juror members said they did not believe Butler’s claims about the guns or the order to kill.Greg Harris of Hoke County said he found Phelps and Leiber more believable than Butler.“Mr. Leiber’s testimony was pretty strong,” he said. “And Phelps — (the lawyers) couldn’t get him crossed up. His story stayed the same throughout his testimony.”Harris said Butler’s story changed.Juror Christy Atkinson of Sanford said she thought about her own family when she made her decision.After the judge dismissed the jury, Butler slowly returned to his seat. Moore County Sheriff Lane Carter said neither he nor Butler would have any comment.Butler’s current boss, though, had praise for him and noted that Butler had been cleared of any criminal wrongdoing several years ago.“When this incident occurred in 2002, Randall Butler was cleared of any criminal wrongdoing by the SBI, the Moore County Sheriff’s Office and the military,” Lee County Sheriff Tracy Carter said. “This ruling was in a civil case and it doesn’t change the findings in 2002. (Butler) has done a great job as chief deputy here and this does not change his role at Lee County Sheriff’s Office.”Phelps said that for years, he and other members of the Special Forces community were unhappy that only the one side of the story was out in the media. But he said he kept quiet until he could get his day in court.He added that the verdict was not about the money.Butler shot Phelps in his arm and chest. The former soldier spent nearly two weeks in the hospital and months recovering. He has said he still suffers from the effects of the shooting.“Twelve people found that what I said and Mr. Leiber said was the truth,” Phelps said.— The Fayetteville Observer and Herald reporter Gordon Anderson contributed to this report.

Miami Man Jailed for Rape, Robbery and $46,000.00 Worth of Cocaine In Vehicle

Quick thinking on the Sanford PD's part, their dispatch staff sent out a broadcast to be on the look out a suspect that had reportly forced a woman into her vehicle around 4 p.m. Saturday as she exited the Kangaroo store at 2219 Jefferson Davis Highway (U.S. 1), robbing and raping her.

A Lee County deputy was patrolling the area and spotted the suspect and attempted to stop him at US1 near Chris Cole Road. The suspect fled from the vehicle into a wooded area, however was apprehended quickly.

After searching the vehicle, deputies discovered approximately one half-pound ($46,000.00 worth) of Cocaine.

Sanford PD arrested Pedro (nmn) Noveron, 28, of 1519 SW 4th Street, Miami, Florida and charged him with first-degree rape, first-degree kidnapping and robbery with a dangerous weapon.

Deputies charged the suspect with Trafficking Cocaine, maintaining a vehicle to store drugs, and possession of drug paraphernalia after being found in possession of 230 grams of Cocaine. He was placed in the Lee County Jail under $400,000.00 secured bond.

1 + lbs of Cocaine seized in the Northview Area

An undercover operation on 10-21-2009 by the Lee County Sheriff’s Office Narcotics Division has resulted in the arrest of one person and the seizure of ½ Kilogram of Cocaine (approx 1.1 lbs). Agents arrested Saul (no middle name) Mendiola, 29, of 54 Brookstone Drive, Cameron, in the Northview area of Lee County after being found in possession of 535 grams of Cocaine.

Mendiola was charged with trafficking Cocaine, maintaining a vehicle to keep/store drugs, and possession of drug paraphernalia. He was placed in the Lee County Jail under $500,000.00 secured bond. The estimated potential street value of the seized drugs is $107,000.00.

Raid on Thunder Lane nets 214 grams of Cocaine

On 10-20-2009, members of the Lee County Sheriff’s Office Narcotics Division conducted a search at 52 Thunder Lane, Sanford, NC. As a result of the search, agents seized 214 grams of Cocaine and items of drug paraphernalia. Agents arrested Abel Nunez Perez, 28, of 757 Raymack Drive, Lillington, and charged him with trafficking Cocaine and possession of drug paraphernalia. Perez, and illegal alien from Mexico, was placed in the Lee County Jail under $200,000.00 secured bond. A second suspect is also being sought in the case. The seized drugs have an estimated potential street value of $42,800.00.

Deputy Assualted on Hidden Pond Lane

10/18/09 @ 12:45 am deputies received a call at 427 Hidden Pond to an assault in progress. Upon arrival they encountered the suspect, Kevin Scott Stone (31) W/M of 387 Hidden Pond Ln. Sanford. The deputy on scene was assaulted by Stone while attempting to take him into custody. Jessica Batts Stone of 387 Hidden Pond Ln. Sanford reported she and Stone had gotten into a domestic dispute at their home at 387 Hidden Pond Ln. Jessica Stone reported she had been assaulted and strangled by her husband Kevin Stone and had escaped and ran to 427 Hidden Pond for help. Elbert Pierce of 427 Hidden Pond Ln. allowed Jessica Stone in his home to use his phone when Kevin Stone broke in his front door. When Stone entered 427 Hidden Pond, Pierce struck Stone with a crow bar. Stone was charged with assault on a female, assault by strangulation, false imprisonment, communicating threats, simple assault, 1st degree burglary, malicious conduct by an officer, assault inflicting serious injury on a law enforcement officer, resisting law enforcement officer, forcible trespassing and injury to real property; Stone was held under no bond.