Citizen complaints spark arrests
Published 12:00 am Thursday, November 18, 2004
WINDSOR – The Narcotics Division of the Bertie County Sheriff’s Office has made four additional arrest stemming from citizen complaints of alleged illegal drug activity throughout the county.
Officers arrested Elva Jarrett, 66, of 118 Bud’s Lane, Windsor and Telley Swain, 28, of 146 U.S. 13/17 South, Windsor following a surveillance watch of Jarrett’s home.
Det. Sgt. Frank Timberlake of the Narcotics Division stated, &uot;We received numerous complaints that marijuana and cocaine were being sold from Jarrett’s house.
Det. Kenneth Gilliam and Timberlake set up surveillance on the residence and were soon able to obtain a search warrant.
&uot;Deputies from the Bertie County Sheriff’s Office, the Aulander Police Department and with help from the North Carolina Probation and Parole Department, we served the warrant on Nov. 5,&uot; Timberlake stated.
&uot;The door was barricaded and we were forced to gain entry through a window,&uot; Timberlake added.
Once inside, the officers found Jarrett and Swain, both suspects were apprehended.
&uot;We found what we believe to be crack cocaine,&uot; Timberlake said. &uot;The substance was packaged and ready to be sold.
&uot;We also found what we believed to be marijuana and that too was packaged as if to be sold,&uot; Timberlake added.
The officers also located a .38 caliber pistol and approximately $800 in U.S. currency.
Both suspects were taken to the Bertie-Martin Regional Jail.
Jarrett was charged with possession with intent to sell and deliver marijuana, possession with the intent to sell and deliver cocaine, manufacture of marijuana and maintaining a dwelling as a place to keep, store or sell a controlled substance.
Jarrett was placed under a $40,000 bond.
Swain was charged with misdemeanor possession of marijuana and was placed under a $5,000 bond.
In a separate incident, the Narcotics Division arrested Nicklous Gilliam, 28, of 505 Roanoke Street, Windsor after they received information that Gilliam would be in possession of marijuana.
&uot;We obtained a search warrant on Nov. 12 and searched the residence of Mr. Gilliam,&uot; said Timberlake. &uot;We recovered what we believed to be marijuana and marijuana stalks from the residence as well as approximately $700 is U.S. currency.&uot;
Gilliam was charged with manufacturing marijuana, possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia.
He was placed under an $8,000 bond.
Also on Nov. 12, the Narcotics Division working off a call of a suspicious vehicle, Det. Timberlake and Det. K. Gilliam went to check on the parked vehicle off the Hoggard Mill Road when they noticed another vehicle parked behind a closed church.
The second vehicle, Timberlake said, was occupied and as the officers approached, the officer said they noticed the subject appear to be hiding something.
&uot;We approached the subject, Kelvin Ray Jenkins, 40, of Bianka Trailer Court in Windsor. We asked if we could search his vehicle and upon doing so, we recovered what appeared to be a $20 hit of crack cocaine and a $50 hit of crack cocaine,&uot; Timberlake said.
Jenkins was charged with possession of cocaine and was taken to Bertie-Martin Regional Jail under a $2,000 bond.
&uot;We will continue to ask the citizens of Bertie County to call us and tell us when they have suspicion of wrong doing in their neighborhoods,&uot; said Bertie County Sheriff Greg Atkins. &uot;These arrest all stem from citizens getting involved and calling our office when something didn’t look right or they felt like illegal drug activity was taking place.
&uot;I commend the citizens for caring enough about their neighborhood to take the time to report their concerns to our office,&uot; he added.
Sheriff Atkins posted a telephone number for citizens to call if they feel like illegal drug activity is being conducted in their area. That number is 794-5330.
Timberlake and Atkins both urged citizens &uot;not to take the law into their own hands.&uot; Timberlake added, &uot;It’s our job to make the arrest. All we ask is that the citizens of the county report what they think is being done illegally… we will do the rest.&uot;