LOCAL COUPLE ARRESTED FOR THEFTS

Joshua Brent Gibby

Cheynne Spicola

Murphy, NC— Joshua Brent Gibby, a 31 year old man and Cheyenne Spicola a 20 year old female who both listed Marble North Carolina as their residence were arrested by Deputies of the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office following a traffic stop.

On February 22, 2010 in the afternoon hours, Deputy Payne of the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office was patrolling in the area of Coalville Road, Marble North Carolina when he stopped a vehicle in which both Gibby and Spicola were occupants because of a child safety restraint violation. During a wants, warrants, and registration check information was provided that Gibby was not licensed to drive and further that he had outstanding felony warrants which had been issued for a previous incident investigated by investigators of the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office where Gibby was accused of feloniously converting property at a residence where Gibby had previously lived. Deputy Mckinny, of the Cherokee County Sheriff’s office and personnel from the North Carolina Highway Patrol arrived to assist. During a search of the vehicle that Gibby and Spicola had occupied several pounds of copper was found.

Copper theft in the Cherokee County North Carolina area has been on the rise over the last few months. Several reports have been taken and are being investigated by the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office. Efforts are being undertaken by the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office to work with local scrap dealers in identifying individuals who are selling the scrap copper and other metals in an effort to identify individuals that are stealing copper.

North Carolina general statutes provide It shall be unlawful for any person to transport or have in his possession on highways of this State, in any vehicle other than a vehicle used in the ordinary course of business for the purpose of transporting such copper, an amount of such copper of an aggregate weight of more than 25 pounds, unless such person shall have in his possession

(1) A bill of sale pertaining to such copper signed by (i) a holder of a sales and use tax registration number from the North Carolina Department of Revenue; or (ii) an authorized wholesaler engaged in the sale of such copper; or (iii) a registered dealer in scrap metals; or (iv) a seller of antiques or objects of art; or

(2) In the event the person from whom such copper was purchased was other than one of the above enumerated persons or firms, a certificate of origin signed by the sheriff, or his designated representative, of the county in which the purchase was made.

Gibby and Spicola both were given unsecured bonds and are awaiting initial appearance in Cherokee County District Court in March 2011.

CONVICTED SEX OFFENDER ARRESTED FOR VIOLATING REGISTRY LAWS

Damon Weston Bivens

Murphy, NC— Damon Weston Bivens, a 17 year old Andrews North Carolina man was arrested by Deputies of the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office for violating provisions of the North Carolina Sex Offender Registry Statutes, and for violating conditions and terms of a Domestic Violence Protective Order.

On February 17^th, 2011 the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Unit became aware that Damon Bivens, a registered sex offender residing in Cherokee County North Carolina had created an account on the social networking site Facebook.com. Bivens, who was registered as a result of a 2010 conviction for sexual battery was using the Facebook.com account to violate the terms and conditions of a Domestic Violence Protective Order issued by 30^th Judicial District in August of 2010. During the investigation information was discovered that Bivens had been on the premises of The Zone, a local teen establishment.

The Cherokee County Sheriff's Office is a member of the North Carolina Internet Crimes Against Children (NCICAC) Task Force. The ICAC Task Force is comprised of federal, state, and local enforcement agents. The purpose of the ICAC task force is to investigate complaints of child exploitation. For more information on the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office visit http://www.cherokeecounty-nc.gov/departments/ccso/, or follow on www.ccsonc.blogspot.com.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice.  Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims.  For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.

Bivens is currently confined in the Cherokee County Detention Facility on a $20,000.00 bond. Bivens is scheduled to appear in Cherokee County District Court on February 23, 2011.

CHEROKEE COUNTY MAN ARRESTED FOR DOMESTIC VIOLENCE



Joshua Allen Hawkins



Murphy, NC— Joshua Allen Hawkins, a 28 year old Murphy North Carolina man was arrested by deputies from the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office on charges from an alleged domestic violence complaint in Cherokee County North Carolina on February 14, 2011.

On February 14, 2011 deputies of the Cherokee County Sheriff’s responded to a request to assist a female complainant who made allegations that she had been assaulted by Hawkins. Information was presented to the North Carolina Magistrate and warrants were taken on Hawkins. When deputies of the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office were serving arrest warrants on Hawkins, several marijuana plants were discovered at the residence.

Hawkins was charged with Assault by strangulation, simple Possession of Schedule VI Controlled Substance, Possess Drug paraphernalia, False Imprisonment, Manufacture Schedule VI controlled Substance and is currently incarcerated in the Cherokee County Detention Facility under $18,250.00 secure bond. Hawkins is currently scheduled to appear in Cherokee County District Court February 23, 2011.

MAN JAILED FOR HOME INVASION

Murphy, NC— Harry Burton Hogan, a 61 year old Murphy man was jailed after deputies responded to a report of a home invasion at a Brasstown Road residence Murphy North Carolina.

On February 17^th, 2011 Cherokee County Dispatch received a call for assistance from a home owner at a Brasstown Road, Murphy North Carolina residence. The caller reported an individual breaking and entering the residence. Deputies of the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office arrived to found Hogan at the residence struggling with the owner of the residence. Hogan had to be restrained. During the investigation it was discovered that Hogan was armed with a hammer and had broken into the residence and scuffled with the owner prior to the deputies arrival.

Hogan is currently charged with First Degree Burglary, Assault with a Deadly Weapon With Intent to Kill and Injury to Real Property. Hogan is currently confined in the Cherokee County Detention Facility under a $30,000.00 bond.

NELSON SLAWTER, CHEROKEE COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE CIVILIAN EMPLOYEE OF THE QUARTER

Nelson Slawter

Murphy, NC— The Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office would like to highlight the excellent work and superior contribution some of our civilian employees provide. The services of  non-law enforcement individuals is an invaluable asset not only to the Sheriff’s Office but to the community as a whole especially since the department is so small and resources are often limited. The Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office would like to recognize Nelson Slawter for the first quarter of 2011.

Nelson comes to Cherokee County with a wide variety of experience. Nelson retired from the Savannah Georgia police department after completing thirty years in law enforcement. Especially noteworthy is the ten years of experience processing, photographing and collecting evidence at crime scenes. Nelson has lifted latent prints at crime scenes and has successfully compared them to inked prints and has testified in court concerning those finger print comparisons

Nelson first became acquainted with the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office in 2006. At that time Nelson volunteered his experience processing crime scenes and assisting automating and helping build the Sheriff’s Office Automatic Finger Print Identification System (AFIS) database.  To date Nelson has been extremely instrumental in cataloguing, comparing and entering approximately 11,000 fingerprint cards or about 250,000 individual finger prints.

Small law enforcement departments often face uphill battles especially in an economy that makes every penny count and decisions where to spend often difficult. Prior to Nelson’s arrival the Cherokee Sheriff’s Office did not have the ability to compare and identify prints. Without that ability an enormous amount of time was spent attempting to find a possible match to a suspect. With Nelson’s abilities a preliminary match can be made and then confirmed by the State Agency thus reducing some of the time identifying suspects.

Nelson is currently splitting his duties on a part time basis assisting with finger printing, crime scene processing and evidence handling as well as transport officer. It doesn’t take long to realize what a valuable asset Nelson Slawter is for a small rural agency such as the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office. Hats off to you Nelson and a big thank you for your work in our community.

MAN CHARGED WITH POSSESSION OF CHILD PORNOGRAPHY ARRESTED AFTER FLEEING COUNTY

Brian Pruitt

Murphy, NC— Brian James Pruitt, a 42-year-old Andrews North Carolina man was returned to Cherokee County after fleeing to Florida while out on bond. Pruitt was arrested in January 2010 when a joint investigation by the Andrews Police Department and the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office revealed that Pruitt had downloaded and possessed several images of child pornography.

The Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office, in its continuing effort to combat child exploitation, partnered with the United States Marshal’s Service who provided invaluable assistance in locating Pruitt in Florida. Once arrested by Florida law enforcement Pruitt waived his extradition hearing and was transported by to Cherokee County to face his original charges of Third Degree Sexual Exploitation of a Minor.

The Cherokee County Sheriff's Office is a member of the North Carolina Internet Crimes Against Children (NCICAC) Task Force. The ICAC Task Force is comprised of federal, state, and local enforcement agents. The purpose of the ICAC task force is to investigate complaints of child exploitation. For more information on the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office visit http://www.cherokeecounty-nc.gov/departments/ccso/, or follow on www.blogspot.com/ccsonc.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice.  Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims.  For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.

Pruitt is currently in the Cherokee County Detention Facility under a $25,000.00 bond.

PRESCRIPTION DRUG FRAUD ARREST

Ralph Edward Dailey Jr

Murphy, NC – Ralph Edward Dailey, 32 years old, male of Andrews North Carolina was arrested on Friday on a true bill of indictment issued by a Cherokee County Grand Jury for Attempt to Obtain Controlled Substance by Fraud, Conspiracy to traffic in opiates, Felony Forgery and Felony Uttering. A Cherokee County Grand Jury handed down the indictment on Dailey in September of 2010 however Daily was not apprehended until this past Friday.

The incident occurred on April 8, 2010 when Daily altered a legitimate prescription in an attempt to obtain methadone tablets with a weight of 9.67 grams from a local Andrews Pharmacy. The case was investigated by the Multiple Agency Narcotics Unit and presented to a Cherokee County Grand Jury in September of 2010. As of Monday Daily had been released from the Cherokee County Detention Center on bond with a Court Date in March.

LOCAL MEN CHARGED FOR STEALING BLEACHERS FROM SOCCER LEAGUE



Nathan Mclean



Murphy, NC – On 02/07/2011 the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office received a report that five spectator style bleachers had been stolen from the soccer field located behind the old Coats America Plant in Marble NC. The field is used by the Cherokee County Youth Soccer League. Detectives were able to develop leads and learned that the bleachers had been taken apart in the field and the aluminum seats taken. The seats were later discovered at a local metal recycling dealer.

       

On 02/10/2011 Nathan Wayne Mclean a 22 year old Marble North Carolina man was arrested and charged with Felony Larceny and Felony Possession of Stolen Goods. Mclean was booked into the Cherokee County Jail and is currently being held under a $3,500.00 secured bond.

Also charged in the incident is Douglas D Taylor a 47 year old Hamilton County Tennessee man on warrants for Felony Larceny and Felony Possession of Stolen Goods. Taylor remains at large.

CHEROKEE COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE OUT ARRESTING DELIQUENT CHILD SUPPORT ABSCONDERS

Sean Lecoq

Dougless Burnette

Sean Christensen

Murphy, NC— During the second week of February 2011 the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office was busy out rounding up folks who are delinquent on their child support obligations. The effort netted three individuals who owed in excess of $25,000.00 in back support.

Arrested were: Sean Christensen, a 46 year old Marble man, Douglas Jemar Burnette, a 30 year old Ft Lauderdale Florida man, and Sean Lecoq a 32 year old Cherokee NC man.

All three individuals are being held in the Cherokee County Detention Facility until they purge their respective amounts or appear before court.   

CHEROKEE COUNTY MEN ARRESTED FOR BREAKING INTO MARINE CORP LEAGUE

Travis Lee

Stacy Dills

             Murphy, NC— During the first week of February, 2011, Cherokee County Detectives developed information indicating that a storage building occupied by the Marine Corp League Det. 1011 located at 4955 Airport had been broken into. Information obtained by detectives indicate the building was broken into in January and several tools were taken from within.

On the date of discovery detectives developed leads that led to the recovery of several items including power tools from a residence in Andrews. Stacy Joe Dills 37 years old, and Travis Heathe Lee 25 years old, both who listed Andrews North Carolina as their residence were charged with Felonious Breaking and Entering and Felonious Larceny After Breaking and Entering. Dills was arrested on 02/05/2011 and given a $5,000.00 secured bond which he made the same date. Lee who was in custody on similar charges was served with the new charges and remains in custody and awaiting an initial appearance in court.