An effort between local, state and national law enforcement resulted in the arrest of 22 street-level drug arrests in Lenoir County on Thursday and Friday.
“This operation identified 28 street level dealers in Lenoir County that were selling illegal narcotics,” Lenoir County Sheriff Ronnie Ingram said in a statement. “Arresting these individuals sends the message that we do not want this activity in our county and the sheriff’s office will work with every agency that will help us to catch these suspected criminals and bring them to justice.”
One of the 22 suspects arrested was Cephus Bernard Whitfield, the victim of a Monday night shooting on Viking Drive.
Involved in the effort were the Lenoir County Sheriff’s Office, the Kinston Department of Public Safety, Greenville Police Department, Jones County Sheriff’s Office, Wayne County Sheriff’s Office, the State Bureau of Investigation, the Drug Enforcement Administration, Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Suspects arrested
Curtis Batts, La Grange, $25,000 bond
Two felony counts each of selling marijuana, delivering marijuana, maintaining a vehicle for controlled substances and possession with intent to sell and deliver a Schedule VI controlled substance.
Rayshon Cannon, Kinston, $75,000 bond
Three felony counts each of selling cocaine, delivering cocaine and possession with intent to sell and deliver a Schedule II controlled substance.
Tavaris Cannon, La Grange, $90,000 bond
Three felony counts each of selling cocaine, delivering cocaine and possession with intent to sell and deliver a Schedule II controlled substance.
Patrick Dove, Pink Hill, $30,000 bond
One felony count each of selling cocaine, delivering cocaine and possession with intent to sell and deliver a Schedule II controlled substance.
Amanda Daniell Espi, Kinston, $15,000 bond
One felony count each of selling marijuana, delivering marijuana and possession with intent to sell and deliver marijuana.
Deon Gardner, La Grange, $195,000 bond
Three felony counts each of selling cocaine, delivering cocaine and possession with intent to sell and deliver a Schedule II controlled substance and being a habitual felon.
Amador Gonzalez, No City, $40,000 bond
Three felony counts each of selling marijuana, delivering marijuana, possession with intent to sell and deliver a Schedule VI controlled substance and two felony counts of maintaining a dwelling for controlled substances.
Frankie Graham, Pink Hill, $270,000 bond
Three felony counts each of selling cocaine, delivering cocaine and possession with intent to sell and deliver a Schedule II controlled substance, being a habitual felon and one order for arrest for nonpayment of child support.
Randy Gray, La Grange, $160,000 bond
Three felony counts each of trafficking by selling opium, trafficking by possession, trafficking by delivery and maintaining a place for controlled substances.
Larry Hamilton, Pink Hill, $50,000 bond
One felony count each of selling cocaine, delivering cocaine, possession with intent to sell and deliver a Schedule II controlled substance and being a habitual felon.
John McClain, Pink Hill, $75,000 bond
Three felony counts each of selling cocaine, delivering cocaine and possession with intent to sell and deliver a Schedule II controlled substance.
Darryl Mitchell, Pink Hill, $195,000 bond
Three felony counts each of selling cocaine, delivering cocaine, possession with the intent to sell and deliver a Schedule II controlled substance and being a habitual felon.
Ashton Moody, Kinston, $10,000 bond
One felony count each of selling marijuana, delivering marijuana and possession with intent to sell and deliver a Schedule VI controlled substance.
Edward Ronnell Raikes, Kinston, $50,000 bond
One felony count each of trafficking by sale of opinion, trafficking by possession and trafficking by delivery.
Dontrel Tysean Smith, No City, $100,000 bond
Three felony counts each of selling cocaine, delivering cocaine, possession with intent to sell and deliver a Schedule II controlled substance and one felony count each of selling marijuana, delivering marijuana and possession with intent to sell and deliver a Schedule VI controlled substance.
Stacey Smith, Goldsboro, $75,000 bond
Three felony counts each of selling cocaine, delivering cocaine, possession with intent to sell and deliver a Schedule II controlled substance and conspiracy.
Stephen Sutton, La Grange, $100,000 bond
One felony count each of selling cocaine, delivering cocaine, possession with intent to sell and deliver a Schedule II controlled substance, conspiracy and being a habitual felon.
Ricardo Thornton, La Grange, $60,000 bond
One felony count each of selling cocaine, delivering cocaine, possession with intent to sell and deliver a Schedule II controlled substance, selling marijuana, delivering marijuana and possession with intent to sell and deliver a Schedule VI controlled substance.
Cathy Jo Turner, Kinston, $30,000 bond
One felony count each of selling cocaine, delivering cocaine and possession with intent to sell and deliver a Schedule II controlled substance.
Cephus Bernard Whitfield, Kinston, bond pending
One felony count each of selling cocaine, delivering cocaine, possession with intent to sell and deliver a Schedule II controlled substance, maintaining a place for controlled substance and being a habitual felon.
Marquez Williams, No City, bond pending
Two felony counts each of selling methamphetamines, delivering methamphetamines, possession with intent to sell and deliver a Schedule II controlled substance and being a habitual felon.
Suspects at large
Al Ray Barnes, Goldsboro
Three felony counts of selling cocaine, delivering cocaine, possession with intent to sell and deliver a Schedule II controlled substance, two felony counts of maintaining a place for controlled substances and one felony count each of trafficking cocaine by selling, trafficking cocaine by delivery, trafficking cocaine by transport and trafficking cocaine by possession.
James Frederick Dove, Pink Hill
Two felony counts each of selling cocaine, delivering cocaine and possession with intent to sell and deliver a Schedule II controlled substance.
David Goff, La Grange
Three felony counts each of selling methamphetamines, delivering methamphetamines, possession with intent to sell and deliver a Schedule II controlled substance and being a habitual felon.
Terrell Junior Jones, Kinston
One felony count each of selling cocaine, delivering cocaine, possession with intent to sell and deliver a Schedule II controlled substance and conspiracy.
Jonathan Rashawn Lensie, No City
Two felony counts each of selling cocaine, delivering cocaine, possession with intent to sell and deliver a Schedule II controlled substance and one felony count of conspiracy.
Alex Supel, No City
Two felony counts each of trafficking cocaine by selling, trafficking cocaine by delivery, trafficking cocaine by transport, trafficking cocaine by possession and one felony count each of selling cocaine, delivering cocaine and possession with intent to sell and deliver a Schedule II controlled substance.
Anyone with any information on the at-large suspects is encouraged to contact the LCSO at 252-559-6118.
Wes Wolfe can be reached at 252-559-1075 and Wes.Wolfe@Kinston.com. Follow him on Twitter @WolfeReports.