j
Mayor
BV SUSAN USHER
Mayor Beamon Hewett confirmed
Tuesday afternoon that he has
suspended Shallotte Police Chief
Wayne Campbell from duty, with
pay, pending a hearing before the
town board of aldermen at its next
icgumi uicciuig uu njii u u.
"This is a dispute between the chief
and myself," he said of the unexpected
action, which apparently
stems from a specific incident that
occurred March 14. No details were
available from Hewett or other town
officials.
While there have been "some problems
between the chief and other
members of the department," he
said, these were only "indirectly"
related to the suspension.
Also related only indirectly are
several recent meetings of the town
board with Campbell behind closed
doors to discuss personnel matters.
Hewett confirmed that "everyone of
them" involved undercover officer
Michael Speck, but added that the
chief's suspension had nothing to do
with the other officer.
* IW 1MI WUWWKK IIACCi
HOOG 8 sc
, 5pp INGP'O'
Volume 23, Number !
IE
Hi ?
iif'
n
While state Department of 'Transpo
gave Highway 17 a close shave (abo*
Shallotte motorists almost got shei
head-on traffic < below). The grinder
_
pygjHjMp
JHHHBHHH
Supply AAa
Years For
BY TERRY POPF.
Facing a possible 120 years to life
in prison, a Supply man pleaded guilty
to lesser sexual offenses in
Brunswick County Superior Court
Tuesdav momiiw and was sentenced
to 19 > tsars in prison
Farron Dan Hoiden. SO. of Route I
Supply, (Hoiden Beach area) had
been charged with first-degree rape
and two counts of first-degree sexual
offense stemming front two separate
incidents In a plea bargain agreement
with District Attorney Michael
Easley in court Tuesday. Holder
pleaded guilty to second-degree rape
and one count of second-degree sexual
offense thus avoiding a trial
HokScfi was charged on July 14.
1W4 by the Brunswic* County
Sheriff s Department with the firstdegree
rape and first-degree sexual
1
Suspen*
"I have done nothing illegal, immoral
or dishonest," was Chief
Campbell's only statement Tuesday.
He preferred to withhold further
comment until after the matter is
heard by the town board.
Until the chiefs status is resolved,
Mayor Hewett said he had "taken
control" of the department Sgt.
Rodney Gause, the second highest
ranking person in the department,
will actually be "the man who is really
going to be in charge" under
Hewett's supervision.
Hewett suspended Campbell Monday
afternoon, he said, after first
discussing his decision with all five
aldermen and with town attorney
Mason Anderson.
"I called tlie chief in and told him
what I had. We talked about an hour
over it" he said, with no resolution
reached. Hewett met afterward with
other members of the police department
and informed them of his action.
Hewett said the susp. ision came
as a result of a "specific incident"
that occurred March 14, the date of
boo.,T
MI A32S"
20 Shallotte, Noi
)at Was A Close Sha\
rtlltion pmnlnvM>? lav?r? nf nav?m?
c), some rerouted this week; retopj
ired in occasional Minor Hewett T1
began gobbling up dirt road off N.C,
JE
in Sentence
Sexual Off
offense af a Holden Beach vacationer
He was also charged on Jan.
o. iw iut ;u^?-ue^ree sexual oeiense
with a seven-year-old girl who was
staying in the defendant's home
while he was out on bond
Although each first-degree charge
carries a maximum sentence of 40
years in prison, the charges were
consolidated for the purpose of
sentencing Judge B Craig Film
dismissed the jurors from the courtroom
Tuesday while accepting
Motoen s gumy plea from fas anorrues.
State Sen R.C Soles Jr. of
Tabcr Oty and Michael Isenberg of
Southport
Judfe Ellis sectenoed Holder, to 19
years in the N .C Department of Corrections
and ordered that he undergo
psyrfaatnc evaluation and receive
treatment from the departmeoL
A
ds Police <
an earlier meeting with the chief.
"But," he added, "I didn't know it A
had occurred until a week later." In J
Uie meantime he also had met with n
other police department employees si
on Monday and then with Campbell C
and the town board Wednesday night
Campbell, in his late 40s, succeed- B
ed Hoyal "Red" Varnam as chief on e
Aug. 1, 1983. A law enforcement
veteran with 15 years of experience, C
he presently earns an annual salary p
of $17,280. ' c
"Other than this specific incident," w
the mayor told reporters, "I have
had no complaints about the chief. I b
have praised him on numerous occa- w
sions." "
Asked if the chief had had his sup- h
port until now, Hewett replied emphatically,
"He sure did." w
Hewett assured the press that the n
incident prompting the suspension
was "nothing like" the situation that o
led to the suspension and ultimately d
the dismissal of Campbell's t
predecessor, Hoyal "Red" Varnam, p
who was convicted on drug sznuggl- V
ing conspiracy charges. V
JMSWI
th Carolina, Thursday, Marc
' ?j ?
|Hnra t
I I
t
;
1
?TA?* fWOTOi ST 1U1AN UlKtS <.
e! I
nt last Thursday and finished up early 11
jlng comes next, said DOT employee 1
he crumbled old pavement will top a ?
? a
<
f
\ I
2whBBSHI
d To 19
enses
During Holder's sentencing hearing
Tuesday morning, Easley told
Judge Ellis that he agreed to the plea
bargains because of the difficulty
that arose in trying each case before
a Jury. In the incident from July 14,
1984, the victim "has honestly admitted
to us thai she rati had something
to drink and had smoked some marijuana"
the night she was allegedly
raped on the beach strand, Eosiey
said. That would have made it cfcfficult
for a Jury to "believe
everything she says," Easiey added
The Gastonu resident was walking
alone on the beach strand around
13:30 am. when Holden approached
her. Ea&ley said After walking along
the beach for several hours, a began
to rain so the coupie look shelter
under a deck, where Hoiden aliegediSeeSllTLY.
Page 2*A) 1
Chief Pe
Hewett, like Chief Campbell and
.ldermen Paul Wayne Reeves, Jerry
ones and Wilton Harrelson, would
ot discuss the actual basis for th*?
uspension out of consideration for
Campbell.
Aldermen David Gause and Bobby
Lay Russ could not be reached for
omment Tuesday.
Hewett said he had promised
ampbell not to discuss the matter
ublicly. The chief's hearing will be
onducted behind closed doors next
reek.
"He has a right to be heard by the
oard. If he can prove that what I did
ras wrong," continued the mayor,
the board may decide to reinstate
im."
Hewett said he has not yet decided
rhat action, if any, he will recomlend
to the board.
Following Campbell's suspension
n Monday, Sgt Gause was called on
uty from vacation, but Mayor
lewett said Tuesday Gause would
robably go back on vacation
Wednesday since.relief officer Jerry
'/ilson had agreed to work as needed
IKW
:h 28, 1985 """
Undercov
Results In
BY TERRY POPE
An undercover drug operation inolving
several county law enforcenent
departments resulted in the inlictment
of 22 people and ten arrests
Tuesday.
Brunswick Countv Sheriff's
Apartment detectives along with
liau: Stircsu v? In'-s?tigat!on agents
ind several town police personnel
>egan making the arrests Tuesday
norning after the indictments were
tnnouiK.ed. The Brunswick County
ifar>u Jury met Monday and late
donday night before handing down
he indictments which were sealed
in til announced Tuesday morning by
hstrict Attorney Michael Easley.
Of the 'en arrests made Tuesday,
it least two men are iroin the
ihallotte area. Randy Franklin I?atimore,
19, of Route 2, Box 170,
ihallotte, was arrested and charged
riui possession of marijuana with in
ent to sale and deliver and the sale
ind delivering of marijuana.
Also arrested was Dale Arthur
lewett, 33, of Route 6, Box 919,
ihallotte (Shallotte Point), who was
:harged with possession of cocaine
vith intent to sale and deliver and the
ale and delivering of cocaine.
Called 'Operation Brass," the
indercover operation was aimed at
lelping to clear drugs off the streets
>y targeting those involved in the
ale of drugs, said Brunswick County
iheriff John Carr Davis.
"There is no great, big drug dealer
nvolved," Davis said. "We're not
[etting any of the smugglers right
low, so we're concentrating on the
treet drugs. Not that we're ignoring
he smugglers all together."
From the 26 months of investiga
Brunswick
In Annual
BY TERRY POPE
Brunswick Courty is the fastest
[rowing county in the state in terms
if population and housing growth,
igures released Last week by the
1 runs wick County Planning Department
and N.C. Department of Commerce
reveal.
In the five-year period from April
980 to April 1985, there has been a
15.6 percent increase in permanent
esident population and a 42.4 perrent
increase in ioud afiuber of hesuing
units in the county, reported
r onzenma Singleton, planner II with
he Brunswick County Planning
Department
last year alone. Brunswick Courv
> ? permanent population increased
n 3.415 people, or 'ran 45.110
-esidents in April LM4 to 48,525
-esidents projected for April 1985.
tpprc&ssatety 2,470 housing units
sere also added m the county last
rear, the report states.
Of those new homes. 1,195 are
isted as peima/jctit reaiuecSs! units.
nding He
this week. Gause is using his vacation
time to move into his new home
off Village Point Road.
In the only action following an executive
session with Campbell to
discuss personnel at their Wednesday,
March 20 meeting, the board
directed the town to advertise a vacant
position in the police department.
In an arrangement worked out
among the police and sheriff's
departments and the State Bureau of
Investigation, Speck had begun work
in Juiy as an undercover officer in
Operation Brass. That is the name
given to a drug investigation that
culminated this week with indictments
by the Brunswick County
Grand Jury of 22 suspects on more
than 60 charges.
According to Sheriff John C. Davis,
Speck was paid and certified by the
Shallotte Police Department, and
deputized by the sheriff's department.
His salary was paid by the
Shallotte department, but the
sheriff's department provided him
money for drug "buys" and a vehicle
BEACI
25c Per Copy 22 P
*r Drug Op
22 indictmc
tion involving several local police
departments, including Shallottc,
Southport and Long Beach departments,
20 men and two juveniles
were Indicted on 66 charges. Two
juvenile petitions will be served on
the two minors for selling drugs, said
Detective Lt. Dick Burgess.
All of tho indictments stem from
the sale of either marijuana or cocaine
to undercover officer* in
Brunswick County. Officers continued
their search for the defendants
Tuesday night, but by late
Tuesday evening ten men had been
arrested and charged at the
Brunswick County Jail.
According to the indictments, I,attimore
is accused of selling marijuana
to an undercover officer on
June 22, 1984. Hewett is accused of
selling cocaine to an undercover officer
the following day, on June 23,
Oth??r maiip TiipuHdv In.
volve men from the Ixrng Beach and
Southport areas and one man from
Wilmington. Robert I^eonard Birch.
29, of 229 Edgewood Ave., Boiling
Spring Lakes, was arrested and
charged with possession of marijuana
with intent to sale and deliver
and the sale of marijuana to an
undercover officer on Oct. 26, 1984.
Also charged with possessing and
selling marijuana to undercover officers
were Scott Barham, 20, of 203
SE 79th Street, I.ong Beach; Anthony
Wayne Overman, 19, of 310 NE 55th
Street, I?ng Beach; and Jeff Conca,
24, of 311 River Drive, Southport.
Barham was indicted by the Grand
Jury for selling drugs to an undercover
officer on Dec. 12, 1984. Overman
is accused of selling marijuana
: County Le<
Population
rather than seasonal homes or sum
mer cottages. Municipal building
permits issued prior to Dec. 31, 1984
and electrical inspections issued by
the county last year are used to compile
the department's annual population
and housing count.
In 1984, a total of 694 single- and
multi-family units were built in the
county compared to 287 built in 1981,
according to NC. Department of
Commerce figures. Those figures
reveal the number of new home constructions,
rather than added mobile
homes or other renovations. During
u* uiree-> ear penoo sine* i?i, tneir
figures reveal new residential construction
has increased by 235 percent
in the county.
In 1861, the county's average annual
population increase stood at 46
percent whale to 1864 the figure had
jucrgwd ta 7 J percent, Ms. Singleton
reported last Wednesday to the planning
board.
Most ci the development ts taking
place m the same pattern as dtring
soring
{BBKSf.
*
Wayne Campbell
while working undercover
assignments.
Another undercover officer who
worked with the Southport Police
Department will go on patrol duty
now.
3N
ages Pius Suppiemeni
eration
?nts
to an undercover officer on Jan. 3,
1985 while Conca was indicted for
selling drugs on Jan. 11,1985.
Charged with two counts pnoh of
possessing and selling of marijuana
to officers were Malcolm Monroe
McHose, 24, of NE 54th Street, I>ong
Beach and Hay Duncan, also of 1 -ong
Beach. Both were indicted for selling
drugs to undercover officers in
December and Januarv.
Phillip Taylor of Southport was
charged Tuesday with three counts of
possessing and selling marijuana to
undercover officers in December and
January of this year.
One Wilmington man. Oliver
Hansley. 31. of 3314 Winston Blvd.,
was arrested and charged with
possessing and selling marijuana on
Nov 26. 1984.
Also indicted by the Grand Jury
Tuesday for possession and selling of
drugs were A! Arthur Dasher Jr.. of
Southport; Tiin I-anier of Chadwick
Trailer Park. Inland; David Ward of
Coimies Trailer Park, I-eland ; Lloyd
Fields of Fawnbrook Trailer Park,
Bolivia; Rodger Dale King of I-ong
Beach; Gary Miller; Steve Babson;
Danny Martin; Gene Martin; and
Jay Ward.
Undercover officers from the
Shallotte and Southport Police
departments were used in "Operation
Brass," said Sheriff Davis.
About $6,000 to $8,000 in funds was used
to purchase the drugs while
departments supplied the vehicles
Throughout the operation, detectives
also confiscated a four-wheeldrive
pickup used In one of the drug
operations, Davis said.
ids State
Growth
1S?-south of Ui. 17." Ms Singleton
said.
A map the planning department
staff prepared to show the increase in
housing units shows a red dot for
every new construction added last
year. The coastal areas, especially
the South Brunswick Islands, are lined
with red dots while other concentrated
areas lie in Iceland and
Scuthport
"I was staggered by Von's
figures." said county planning Director
John Harvey The figures are suli
Just a conservative estimate of the
county's growth, he added
The Shallotte township led the
county's permanent resident population
growth with a M percent in
crease over last year Other
townships were as follows
Lock wood Potty, 42 percent increase;
Town Creek. 30 percent U)crt**e,
Srruthvtfie and Northwest, 2S percent
increase, and Wat carta w. 21 percent
increase
(See BRUNSWICK, Page ^A \
\
\ ^