On January 02, 2009, Investigators with the Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office Drug Unit and the Washington Police Department executed a Drug Search Warrant at 724 North Market Street in Washington. Shareef Griffin, 20 years of age, of 527 Van Norden Street in Washington, Kendrell Blackshear, 20 years of age, of 818 Yeatesville Road in Bath, Dante Moore, 22 years of age, of 350 Mary Street in Chocowinity and Donnell White, 16 years of age of 305 Van Norden in Washington were arrested and charged with Possession with Intent to Sell and Deliver Marijuana. Lynda Jones, 28 years of age, of 724 North Market Street in Washington was arrested and charged with Maintaining a Dwelling to Keep a Controlled Substance.

Their arrest stemmed from complaints from concerned citizens stating that Lynda Jones was allowing drug dealers to use her residence at 724 North Market Street in Washington to sell drugs.  Investigators conducted surveillance and made numerous purchases of marijuana from numerous people at 724 North Market Street in Washington.

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On December 1, 2008, the Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office received a report of a breaking and entering and larceny at a business on Linnie Perry Road in Washington.  A breaking and entering of a vehicle in the parking lot of the business was also reported.  Several firearms and cash were stolen as a result of these break-ins.  The Sheriff’s Office began an investigation and recovered six of the stolen firearms with the assistance of the Lenoir County Sheriff’s Office.

On December 30, 2008, Investigator Josh Shiflett with the Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office applied for and obtained two arrest warrants charging Ryan Keith Everett, age 22, of Hull Road in La Grange, NC with Felony Breaking and Entering, Felony Larceny, Felony Breaking and Entering of a Motor Vehicle, two counts of Larceny of a Firearm and Possession of a Firearm by Felon.  Everett was served on December 31st at the Lenoir County Detention Center where he was already being held on a $100,000.00 bond for unrelated charges.  Everett received an additional $20,000.00 secured bond for the new charges.  This investigation is ongoing and further arrests are possible.

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On January 5, 2009 at approximately 8:30 p.m., the Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office received a report of an Armed Robbery that occurred at the Handy Mart convenient store on River Road in Washington.  A clerk working at the store reported that two black males dressed in dark clothing entered the store and demanded money.  The suspects were wearing masks and armed with a knife.  After taking an undisclosed amount of cash, the suspects ran from the store. 

Sheriff’s Deputies and Investigators responded to the area and conducted a search.  The investigation is on-going, and the suspects are still at large.  Anyone with information about this crime is asked to call the Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office at 946-7111 or Beaufort County Crime Stoppers at 974-6400.  Crime Stoppers will pay up to a $1,000.00 reward for information leading to an arrest.  Callers do not have to give their name, only their information.

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On January 10, 2009 at approximately 12:20 p.m., Deputies in the Patrol Division at the Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office received information that a vehicle entering Beaufort County on Highway 264 West may be transporting narcotics.  Deputies set up surveillance on Hwy 264 near the Pitt County line to watch for the suspect vehicle.  After observing the suspect vehicle enter Beaufort County, Deputy Kasey Neal performed a traffic stop near Wharton Station Road and spoke to the occupants.

During the stop, Deputies seized two syringes, two dosage units of an off-white powdery substance believed to be heroin, and drug packaging materials.  As a result, Deputy Neal and Deputy Kevin McCutcheon arrested James Perry Morgan, age 55, of Clarks Neck Road in Washington and Gary Wayne Clark, age 47, of Cherry Run Road in Washington.  Morgan and Clark were charged with Possession of Heroin and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia.  They were both held in the Beaufort County Detention Center on a $30,000.00 secured bond set by Magistrate Holmes.

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On January 12, 2009 at approximately 10:29 p.m., Sgt. Stephen Harding with the Patrol Division at the Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office observed a vehicle on Highway 33 near Clay Bottom School Road operating with a headlight out.  Sgt. Harding initiated a traffic stop with the vehicle after it turned onto Clay Bottom School Road.  While speaking to the driver about the equipment failure, Sgt. Harding observed pill bottles containing pills inside the vehicle’s passenger area.  There were three occupants in the vehicle.

Sgt. Harding seized the unlabeled pill bottles and returned to his patrol car to request back-up and check the driver’s license status.  The driver of the stopped vehicle then pulled back onto the roadway and fled the scene.  Sgt. Harding gave chase and followed the vehicle onto Mouth of the Creek Road.  The fleeing vehicle slowed down and the rear passenger jumped from the vehicle.  The vehicle proceeded on approximately a quarter of a mile and stopped.  Sgt. Harding arrested the driver and front passenger as back-up Deputies arrived at the scene.  After securing the vehicle, Deputies began a search for the suspect that jumped from the vehicle.  The suspect was not located.  Sgt. Harding processed the pill bottles for evidence storage and determined that the two bottles contained a total of 680 methadone pills. Sgt. Harding obtained warrants charging Matthew Wayne Sawyer, age 40, of Highway 306 South in Grantsboro and Jessica Florence Broughton, age 35, of Highway 306 South in Grantsboro with Trafficking Opium.  Sawyer and Broughton were both held on $100,000.00 secured bonds set by Magistrate Curtis.

Warrants were also obtained for the suspect who jumped from the vehicle and fled on foot, Johnny Edward Byrd Jr., age 24, of Creek Road in Greenville.  Byrd was charged with Trafficking Opium and Resist, Delay, Obstruct a Public Officer.  He is still at large.  If you have any information on the whereabouts of Johnny Byrd Jr., please call Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office at (252)946-7111 or Crime Stoppers at (252)974-6400.  Crime Stoppers will pay up to $1000.00 for information leading to his arrest.  Callers do not have to give their name to receive a reward.

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