Click It or Ticket Campaign Starts Today

The Lee County Sheriff's Office will join law enforcement professionals from across the United States in the Click it or Ticket seat belt awareness campaign for two weeks beginning today.

Our efforts will focus stepping up enforcement of North Carolinas primary seat belt law and on educating motorists about the importance of buckling up in moving vehicles.

“The federal government, the states and insurance companies have been collecting car crash data for decades, and their conclusions are clear and consistent,” said Sheriff Carter. “Seat belts save lives and so do officers who remind drivers and passengers to buckle up.”

Click it or Ticket is funded by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and supports our state's annual effort to increase seat belt use through enforcement and public education.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has concluded that motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death for people between the ages of 5 and 34. Seat belts reduce serious crash-related injuries and deaths by about 50 percent. Click it or Ticket was launched in North Carolina in 1993. Since then, national seat belt use has increased from approximately 65 percent to more than 85 percent, according to the Governors Highway Safety Association.

“Seat belts clearly save lives. But, unfortunately, too many folks still need a tough reminder, so we are going to be out in force day and night, buckling down on those who are not buckled up,” said Sheriff Carter.

Sheriff Watson Road Man Arrested For Attempted Murder

On 5/18/2012, Jalisa Belk, of 6947 Sheriff Watson Rd., reported her husband, Edward Octavious Belk, became angry and began assaulting her. The assault continued outside of the residence. While outside, Edward Octavious Belk produced a handgun and fired multiple shots at Jalisa Belk. Mrs. Belk sustained minor injuries during the altercation, but was not struck by any bullets.

Edward Octavious Belk, 26 of 6947 Sheriff Watson Rd. was arrested for Attempted Murder, Assault with Deadly Weapon with Intent to Kill, Assault by Pointing a Gun, Assault on Female and Interfere with Emergency Communication. He was placed in Lee County Jail under no bond.

Four Arrested During Search Warrant for Drugs

Drug Agents and Criminal Investigators with the Lee County Sheriff’s Office executed a search warrant today at 1060 Saunders Road and arrested four people. Agents and Detectives arrested the following people after Crack Cocaine and drug paraphernalia were discovered during the search.

Ray Anthony Monroe, 23, of 1060 Sanders Road, Sanford, was arrested and charged with possession with intent to sell Cocaine, maintaining a dwelling to store drugs and possession of drug paraphernalia. He was placed in the Lee County Jail under $5000.00 secured bond.

Linda Faye Fox, 58, of 1060 Sanders Road, Sanford, was arrested and charged with possession with intent to sell Cocaine, maintaining a dwelling to store drugs and possession of drug paraphernalia. She was placed in the Lee County Jail under $5000.00 secured bond.

Brandon J. Monroe, 25, of 4126 Smith Road, Sanford, was arrested and charged with possession with intent to sell Cocaine, maintaining a dwelling to store drugs and possession of drug paraphernalia. He was placed in the Lee County Jail under $5000.00 secured bond.

Annette Marie Monroe, 48, of 1060 Sanders Road, Sanford, was arrested and charged with possession with intent to sell Cocaine, maintaining a dwelling to store drugs and possession of drug paraphernalia. She was placed in the Lee County Jail under $5000.00 secured bond.

Deep River Man Arrested For Trafficking Opium

Gene Everette King, 65, of 670 Deep River Road, Sanford, was arrested on 5-15-2012 for trafficking opium, possession with intent to sell a Schedule II controlled substance, sell and/or delivery of a controlled substance, maintaining a vehicle to store drugs and possession of drug paraphernalia. King was placed in the Lee County Jail under $300,000.00 secured bond.

$10,000.00 Reward Offered for Robbery Case

The Sheriff's Office is offering a $10K reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of suspects in the robbery of Russell and Patsy Doby on the morning of Tuesday, May 8th, 2012 at 7024 Lark Ln. Sanford.

Suspect 1- Blk male, approximately 5’-8’’ tall, shoulder length braided hair, wearing white tank top shirt and jeans.

Suspect 2- Blk male, approximately 6’01’’ tall, short hair or bald, wearing a red shirt and jeans
The suspects were last seen running down Greenwood Rd near McCormick Rd.

Suspects may have been operating a late 1980’s model Light Blue Cadillac w/ dark blue top and large chrome wheels.

Anyone having information is urged to call the Lee County Sheriff’s Office @ 919-718-4563 or the Anonymous Tip Line at 919-718-4577

Beware of Users Skirting Around Do Not Call Rules

Recently, most of us were bombarded with phone calls and answering machine messages from political candidates desiring your votes. Today, I read this article on Fox News.com which I felt was worthy of sharing. Just another reminder of how we all should be diligent in dealing with issues of this nature..

Happy Mother's Day to All the Wonderful Mom's in Lee County

Best wishes to all the Mom's today! You were there when we took our first steps and continue to be there for us! Today is your day! Thanks for all you've done and continue to do for your children and families!

Female Hackney Found; Looking for Owners

On 05/06/2012 Lee County Sheriff’s Office Animal control unit found 1 brown and black Female Hackney approximately 2 to 4 years old. The owner may reclaim their animal by contacting Sgt. Rodriguez at (919) 755-5531

Note: Owner is responsible all fines and fee due upon reclamation. NC G.S 68-18.1

Drug Agents Report Two Arrests

Sonya Marie Logan, 40, of 3 Mini Mobile Home Park, Sanford, was arrested on 5-5-2012 for possession of a controlled substance in a confinement facility after Lee County Jail staff discovered her in possession of Fentanyl while she was in the Lee County jail on unrelated charges. She was held under $5000.00 secured bond.

Wendell Devon Hill, 30, of 215 Temple Ave, Sanford, was arrested on 5-7-2012 for possession with intent to sell Cocaine, maintaining a dwelling to store drugs and possession of drug paraphernalia after Lee County Drug Agents discovered him in possession of 5 grams of Crack Cocaine. He was placed in the Lee County Jail under $12,500.00 secured bond.

Rewards Offered for Cold Cases

We're asking citizens for assistance in providing leads to the following crimes. If anyone has information on any of these, please contact Captain Jeff Johnson with Lee County Sheriff's Office (jjohnson@leecountync.gov) or contact the confidential Crime Tip Line @ 919-718-4577.

• $5,000.00 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person(s) responsible for the murder of Alvah "Mark Upchurch". Upchurch's body was found on Chris Cole Road on Aug 24, 2001 at approx 2am. Reward offered by the Governor Crime Commission.

• $10,000.00 reward is being offered for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person(s) responsible for the theft of materials from S. T. Wooten Corporation Asphalt Plant located at 911 Rocky Fork Church Road, Sanford.

• Reward is being offered for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person(s) responsible for crop damage to John and Tina Gross (Gross Farms) on Pickett Road. Damaged occurred on or around March 9, 2008 where tobacco plants were destroyed and their greenhouses had been broken into.

• $1,500.00 reward is being offered for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person(s) responsible for the vandalism to Grace Christian School in Tramway in Feb, 2012.

• $5,000.00 reward is being offered for information leading to locating a Lee County man that was last seen on December 22, 2010 in the Cox Mill Rd area. Brian Wesley Arnold of 123 Hunter Drive in Broadway. Mr. Arnold is a white male, 5'9 tall, 170lbs.
  He has brown eyes and was last seen wearing a brown coat, jeans and black gloves.