Four charged in undercover operation

Published 12:00 am Saturday, August 19, 2006

JACKSON – If you’re selling drugs in Northampton County, the knock at your door could be Sheriff Wardie Vincent.

An eight-month undercover drug sting has already netted four arrests and others are pending after Captain G. Reed and Agent Clements spearheaded the operation.

&uot;Be put on notice, if you’re selling drugs, we’ll be knocking on your door,&uot; Vincent said.

Over the last three days four people have already been arrested in connection with the operation.

&uot;We have been working on this for eight months targeting crack cocaine and marijuana dealers throughout the county,&uot; Vincent said. &uot;Over the past week, we’ve started picking them up.&uot;

The first four arrested cover both ends and the middle of Northampton County.

They are:

* Isaac Willie White, 24, of 102 Sessoms Drive in Rich Square. He is charged with two counts of possession with intent to sell and deliver cocaine and two counts of sale and delivery of cocaine. He is under a $10,000 secured bond;

* Virginia Aycock Bolton, 40, of 1003 Old Emporia Road in Gaston. She is charged with two counts of possession with intent to sell and deliver marijuana, two counts of sale and delivery of marijuana and two counts of maintaining a vehicle, place or dwelling to keep a controlled substance. She is under a $5,000 secured bond;

* Willie Lee Ruffin, 40, of 1035 N.C. Highway 308 in Rich Square. He is under a $5,000 bond charged with possession with intent to sell and deliver cocaine and sale and delivery of cocaine; and

* Thomas Lee Brown, 50, of 500 Park Street in Seaboard. He is charged with possession with intent to sell and deliver cocaine and sale and delivery of cocaine. He is under a $15,000 secured bond.

Vincent said many of the arrests were due to citizen involvement and he praised the residents of Northampton County for their involvement.

&uot;Captain Reed and Agent Clements spent a lot of time day and night tracking people and making sure they were apprehended,&uot; he said. &uot;I am proud of their work and I’m thankful to the citizens. Without their help, we couldn’t have been as successful.&uot;

The sheriff said citizens had provided tips to the sheriff’s office and had used the Northampton Crimestoppers number (534-1110) to report the crimes.

&uot;We will continue to work to rid this county of drug activity,&uot; Vincent said. &uot;Other arrests are forthcoming.&uot;