Sofia
Wednesday, April 14, 2010 ;
CRIME SCENE
:
Seven Kings Mountain
‘men face more than 25
: charges, combined, after the
“Cleveland County Sheriff's
Department busted an auto
“theft "chop shop". All seven
suspects have been captured.
The chop shop ring tar-
geted 1994-2002 Honda
Civics and Acura Integras
from Mecklenburg, Ruther-
ford and Catawba counties,
which were brought back to
Cleveland County where the
vehicles were then stripped
‘for parts, according to the
Cleveland County Sheriff’s
- Office. The "chopped" parts
were either sold on-line or
. were used to build new cars
law enforcement officers
have branded as "Franken-
stein(s)".
The extensive months-
- long operation has also been
. dubbed "Frankenstein".
More arrests are expected
ARRESTS
APRIL 2: April Bennett
Bradford, 37, 112 McGinnis
* St., violation of school atten-
dance law.
~ APRIL 3: Maurice
Moore, 52, 704 Harmon Rd.,
assault on female. .
APRIL 3: April Haynes,
48, 333 Bridges Circle, driv-
ing while license revoked,
fictitious information to offi-
cer, resist public officer,
$2,000 bond, secured.
APRIL 5: Tory Lee Rose-
boro, 28, 421 N. Tracy St.,
attempted armed robbery, re-
sist, delay, obstruct officer,
no bond.
APRIL 7: Jonathan Ray
‘Allen, 19, 1300 Shelby Rd.,
pri
disorderly conduct and tres-
passing, $1,000 bond, se-
cured.
APRIL 7: Draylon Hol-
land, 57, 1078 Mountain
Crest Dr., assault with
deadly weapon intent to kill
inflicting serious injury,
GRIGG
and suspects could
face additional
charges in Gaston
and Mecklenburg
counties.
Authorities said that what
began as an interest in street
racing turned into a habit
stealing cars, "chopping" the
parts and selling those parts
online.
The members of the theft
ring advertised stolen cars
and parts on websites, such
as www.carolinahondas.com,
e-Bay and Craigslist, accord-
ing to information released
by the sheriff's office.
“Members of the group
were actively involved in il-
legal street racing groups in
Gaston and Mecklenburg
counties and frequented
local legal drag-racing facil-
ities,” according to authori-
ties. “It was common for the
group members to swap the
stolen parts, particularly en-
gines, transmissions, and en-
gine control modules
between cars for racing pur-
Police log...
$25,000 bond, secured.
APRIL 7: April Bennett
Bradford, 37, 112 McGinnis
St., violation of school atten-
Tones law.
APRIL 7: Rhonda Gail
Guin, 42, 120 Delmar Rd.,
larceny of motor vehicle and,
possession stolen goods,
$5,000 bond, secured.
APRIL 9: Christopher
Shane Peavey, 30, 212 Ful-
ton St., DWI, $500 bond, un-
secured.
APRIL 10: Susan Annette
Knight, 46, Waxhaw, obtain-
ing property by false pre-
tense, $500 bond, secured.
APRIL 11: Christopher
Cooke, 31, York, SC, pos-
session stolen ' vehicle,
felony, possession of stolen
property, fictitious informa-
tion to officer, $5,000
bond, secured.
CITATIONS
APRIL 6: Katherine
Marie Blanks, 45, Bessemer
CARROLL
poses. The engine control
modules can be easily con-
verted to increase the horse-
power of the Honda Civic
and Acura Integra.”
Police said that the stolen
cars were "attractive targets"
for the thieves "because of
their light-weight frames,
powerful engines and rela-
tive lack of internal security
features."
Police suspect that many
of the "Frankenstein" cars
were crafted to fool the ca-
sual observer.
"The suspects in this ring
were skilled enough to dis-
guise many of these stolen
vehicles as legitimately reg-
istered upon a cursory in-
spection by law enforcement
officers," according to infor-
mation released by CCSO.
"Only when scrutinized by
specially-trained DMV Li-
cense and Theft inspectors
were these cars determined
to be stolen." :
Department of Motor Ve-
hicles License and Theft in-
City, revoked license, failure
to reduce speed to avoid a
collision.
APRIL 6: Brandon, Mc-
Clain, 22, Gastonia, revoked
license, failure to operate
head lamps.
APRIL 6: James Strick-
land III, 55, 203 Waco Rd.,
altered registration plate, no
insurance, no operator's li-
cense.
APRIL 7: Trey Clinton,
23, 803 W. King St. Apt. 2,
expired tag.
APRIL 7 Eliv Pedroza,
MOSS
LINGERFELT
spectors, Gaston County Po-
lice, Charlotte-Mecklenburg
Police, the National Crime
Bureau, other agencies, as
well as administrators of
websites assisted in the in-
- vestigation which led to the
recovery of 14 stolen cars (or
parts thereof), including re-
covery of two stolen cars
from Cleveland © County
thefts dating back to 2008.
Detectives also confiscated a
stolen semiautomatic rifle,
33 morphine pills, 19 hy-
drocodone tablets, 56 Xanax
pills and’ nine clonazipam
tablets, a commercial key
cutting machine and hun-
dreds of vehicle ignition key
blanks.
The total value of the re-
covered property is esti-
mated at over $60,000. All
owners of the recovered ve-
hicles have been notified.
- Several members of the
“chop shop” gang have co-
operated with the investiga-
tion, according to detectives.
The Cleveland County
33, Gastonia, no operator's:
license.
APRIL 7: Deonte Lind- .
say; 18, Gastonia, revoked li-
cense.
APRIL: 7; Elijah Capps,
19, 404 Wilson St., underage
drinking.
APRIL 8: Kristen Free-
man, 20, 812 Ellison St., ex-
pired inspection sticker,
expired tag.
APRIL 8: Marisa Berge-
son, 31, Henderson, NV,
See POLICE LOG, 7A
CHiL DCARE
From Page 1
tivities include school readiness skills, arts and erafts, games,
intro to music, Spanish, Karate/self defense, outdoor play,
science and multi-cultural activities.
The center's website describes itself as "a Chistian Acad-
emy offering Christian curriculum to all ages".
The Higher Learning Childcare Academy is open 24-
hours-a-day, six-days-a-week and operates in three shifts.
_ For more information, call 704-484-9001 or visit higher-
CHAVIS
Sheriff's
rested:
Jamie Lee Grigg, 37, 415
Cherokee St., possession of
a stolen vehicle and chop
shop = activity. Arrested
March 19 with no opportu-
nity for bond. He is being
held for charges pending in
Gaston County and for a pro-
bation violation.
Ricky Lewis Carroll Jr.,
24, 800 First St., larceny of
Department ar-
. motor vehicle, two counts of
chop shop activity, two
counts of possession of
stolen motor vehicle, two
counts of possession of
stolen goods and property.
Arrested March 29, Carroll
remains in the Cleveland
County Detention Center
under a $25,000 secured
bond.
Jackie Dean Moss Jr., 23,
202 Fairdel St., trafficking
opiates, two counts of pos-
session with intent to manu-
facture and sell and deliver
Schedule IV controlled sub-
stance, possession with in-
CAPPS
JOHNSON
tent to manufacture/sell and
deliver Schedule II con-
trolled substance and posses-
sion of stolen firearm. He
was arrested March 17 and
was released under a
$25,000 secured bond two
days later.
Justin Lamar Lingerfelt,
23, 108 Churchill Dr., two
counts of chop shop activity,
two counts of possession of
stolen motor vehicle, two
counts of possession of
stolen goods and property,
and larceny of motor vehi-
cle. Lingerfelt was arrested
March 17 and was released a
day later under a $10,000 se-
cured bond.
Jessie Lee Chavis, 19,
4943-1 E. Dixon Blvd., lar-
ceny of motor vehicle and
possession of stolen goods.
He was arrested and released
on March 19, under a $5,000
secured bond.
Elijah Ray Capps, 19,
404 Wilson St., larceny of
See CHOP SHOP, 7A
Mills pleads guilty in
Movie Gallery heist
One of three suspects in the February robbery of
Movie Gallery on East King Street in Kings Mountain
has pled guilty of conspiracy to commit robbery with a
dangerous weapon. Cases against two other suspects
are still pending.
Superior Court Judge James W. Morgan sentenced
twenty-four-year-old Stephen Edward Mills to 29-44
months suspended and 30 months probation with a
nine-month active split sentence. After Mills serves
nine months in prison he will be placed on 30 months
probation. If he violates probation, he will return to
prison for 29 to 44 months.
Kings Mountain Police said that Mills' brother, Bran-
don Scott Mills, 22, of Second St., entered the store in
February brandishing a knife and demanding money.
He was found minutes later and arrested near the busi-
ness and charged with armed robbery and conspiracy
to commit armed robbery.
‘After further investigation, police arrested Stephen
Edward Mills, charging him with conspiracy to com-
mit armed robbery and aiding and abetting armed rob-
bery; and Kyile Ann Dorman, 22, with conspiracy to
commit armed robbery and obstruction of justice, po-
lice said.
learningchildcare.com
FIREHOUSE
From Page 1
preparing for the event that has become
the state championship to win for cook-
ers fired up at the chance of competing
in the Jack Daniels Invitational.
“Our event has been nominated for
one of the top 20 events in the southeast
to visit,” Burns added.
The department hasn’t learned yet
* whether or not KM’s cook-off has won
that top-20 placement, but Burns said
that they are excited about the nomina-
tion.
The money raised during the event
supports KMFD’s Fire Museum — one
of very few that remain in the state.
Several local dignitaries and fire-
fighters will gather at the museum (next
to the walking track) around 7 p.m. Fri-
day to enjoy a traditional BBQ feast be-
fore setting off to judge the Firehouse’s
Anything Butt competition.
The Anything Butt contest allows
contenders a chance to show off their
culinary skills outside of the 'que, in
two categories—dessert and non-dessert.
This year's Firehouse will welcome
11 vendors, selling a variety of treats
from barbecue to funnel cakes.
Eight local teams, including Big E's
BBQ, captained by Eric Pardo of Kings
Mountain, have signed up to compete
this weekend.
Other teams are coming to Kings
Mountain from as far away as Florida,
Virginia and Tennessee. With an aver-
age of six people per cooking team and
judges, over 300 people could be on
their way into town this weekend.
Grills will be fired up at the track on
Friday and chefs will continue to
smoke, grill and prepare their meats
through the night for judging that starts
at 11 a.m. Saturday.
The winner of the North Carolina
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Firehouse Barbeque State Champi-.
onship, a Kansas City BBQ Society
sanctioned event, will be invited to
compete in the American Royal Barbe-
cue Contest and will be eligible for a
shot at the Jack. :
The state champion will also walk
away with a grand trophy and $4,000 in
prize money. Reserve champions will
win $1,000 and top category prizes of
$550 — 1st place, $300 — 2nd, $200 —
3rd, $150 — 4th; and $100 — Sth will be
awarded to the top 5 teams that place in
beef brisket, pork ribs, pork, and poul-
try contests.
A new competition for BBQ sauce,
sponsored by Big E's BBQ, of Kings
Mountain, will also be held this year
with a top prize of $100.
Anything Butt winners will be re-
warded with $200 for best dessert and
best non-dessert. The best booth will re-
ceive $100 as will the highest placing
Cleveland County team.
704.484.0611
“We are committed to your
family’s dental health”
‘Mobile home lost to fire
A mobile home on
Green Meadows Drive
outside the city limits
went up in flames last
Tuesday evening.
Cleveland County As-.
sistant Fire Marshal Perry
Davis said the fire. re-
mains under investiga-
tion.
Shiela Carnes told in-
vestigators that she was
in process of buying the
residence that was under
construction.
No one had been
working at the site Tues-
day. :
The Carnes family had
planned to move soon.
wip 6
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