Criminal activity at Super 8 Motel results in arrests, drug and gun seizures
The Morganton Department of Public Safety has conducted multiple operations at the Super 8 Motel on South Sterling Street, resulting in several arrests and the seizure of drugs, guns, and paraphernalia.
These operations were led by the Criminal Investigations Division and the Special Operations Division of the Morganton Department of Public Safety. The focus on the Super 8 Motel comes after numerous complaints of criminal and drug activity at the location since September 2024.
The Super 8 Motel, located at 2402 South Sterling Street, has been a hotspot for criminal activity, with officers responding to nearly 80 calls since Hurricane Helene.
This increase in activity is partly attributed to the motel accepting FEMA vouchers for temporary housing. The FEMA vouchers, which have been in use since the hurricane, are set to end in May of this year. Despite the impending end of the voucher program, calls to the location have continued to rise.
Arrests:
Roderick Jatavian Caldwell, 30, of Morganton. Outstanding warrants.
Tyler Dwayne South, 34, of Morganton. Possession of Schedule II. Probation violation.
Ashley Michelle Scott, 41, of Morganton. Possession of Schedule VI. Possession of CS in jail.
Robin Beam Surratt, 59, of Morganton. Probation violation, fail to appear on a felony
Winter Malee Fox, 30, of Morganton. Possession of Schedule II
Brandon Andrew Perry, 40, of Lenoir. Possession of Schedule II
Two handguns and drugs, including methamphetamine, fentanyl, Xanax, marijuana, cocaine, and suboxone, were seized.
Several vehicles were also stopped, and the drivers were cited for various infractions.
The event took place over three days.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
8 hours ago
- Yahoo
Mass. man sentenced to prison for trafficking counterfeit Adderall containing methamphetamine
BOSTON (WWLP) – A Lowell man was sentenced to prison last Wednesday for possession and distribution of counterfeit Adderall pills containing methamphetamine. Charging documents stated that 39-year-old Brian Gingras of Lowell was a drug supplier involved in the Asian Boyz Gang distribution network. Investigators found that between May 2022 and September 2022, Gingras delivered over 5,000 counterfeit Adderall pills to ABZ gang member Bill Phim. Mass. man arrested following deadly crash in November During this time, Phim reportedly then sold the counterfeit pills to an undercover federal agent for over $18,000. The pills were discovered through chemical testing to contain a dangerously high level of methamphetamine and caffeine. For his role in the conspiracy, Phim was sentenced in May 2025 to ten years in prison. Law enforcement obtained a search warrant for Gingras' home, where they found hundreds more counterfeit Adderall pills, counterfeit Xanax pills, and a pill press. Officers also found a storage unit containing a loaded firearm, over 30 kilograms of counterfeit Adderall pills containing only caffeine, bags of marijuana, and boxes of THC extract and edible products. In January 2025, Gingras pleaded guilty to one count of Conspiracy to Distribute and to Possess with Intent to Distribute 50 grams or more of Methamphetamine, and one count of Possession with Intent to Distribute 50 grams or more of Methamphetamine. Gingras was sentenced on June 4 to nine years in prison, followed by four years of supervised release. WWLP-22News, an NBC affiliate, began broadcasting in March 1953 to provide local news, network, syndicated, and local programming to western Massachusetts. Watch the 22News Digital Edition weekdays at 4 p.m. on Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
a day ago
- Yahoo
Mass. man who supplied gang with ‘particularly dangerous' drugs began drinking, smoking at 13
At just 13, a Massachusetts boy turned to alcohol and marijuana. By 15, he was hooked on heroin. Now, three decades later, the scars of that addiction run deep — and at 39, he's been sentenced to federal prison for his role in a Massachusetts-based drug ring. Brian Gingras, also known as 'Cheech,' was sentenced June 4 to nine years in prison. Gringas pleaded guilty in January to conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute 50 grams and more of methamphetamine. Gingras' 'first encounter with the criminal justice system was in 2003, when he was 17 years old. The next 20 years of Defendant's life would be an uninterrupted parade of arrests and criminal court cases,' court documents state. 'Most of these cases did not result in convictions, but the records illustrate in stark relief Defendant's unwillingness or inability to conform his conduct to the requirements of the law.' Read more: How one machine supercharged illicit drug manufacturing in Mass. In 2019, Gingras' parents bought him a home. Three years later, investigators searched that home 'finding substantial evidence of Defendant's crimes.' Investigators also said the 'unkempt home' was 'in disarray.' 'Drugs were found in nearly every room of the house, some of which were clearly being used,' court documents state. 'Defendant himself appeared to be in distress, and he was removed from the scene in an ambulance.' Thousands of 'particularly dangerous imitations' of Adderall pills that were supplied by a Massachusetts gang looked like the real pills but were filled with a compound of methamphetamine and caffeine. The pills had become increasingly popular and prevalent in Lowell. They were similar in shape, size, and appearance to genuine Adderall but were typically pressed with methamphetamine by local drug traffickers using pill presses, court documents state. Gingras was the source of the pills and other drugs, such as cocaine and counterfeit 'Xanax bars,' to the Asian Boyz gang, according to court documents. He was distributing wholesale quantities of cocaine and various illicit pills. He had all the equipment necessary to produce the pills himself, including an industrial pill press, which is legal in the U.S. The machines are largely unregulated and available for purchase online. In the garage, officials found a broken pill press covered in drug residue. Historically, pill presses were used in the pharmaceutical profession and by people who make their own dietary supplements, such as bodybuilders or naturopaths. Read more: A Mass. man bought an illegal depressant online and took his life. The seller will go to prison Gingras also maintained a large quantity of the drugs at a commercial storage facility, court documents state. Inside the storage unit, officials found 250 grams of methamphetamine pills, over 1 kilogram of etizolam pills, bags of suspected marijuana, boxes of THC extract and edible products and over 30 kilograms of caffeine pills that looked identical to the counterfeit 'Adderall' pills made with methamphetamine. Bill Phim, also known as 'Bonez,' of the Asian Boyz gang, told an undercover officer that he coordinated the supply of methamphetamine pills with other Asian Boyz gang members and associates, including Gingras. Between May 2022 and September 2022, officials said Gingras met with Phim prior to planned deals to personally deliver pills. In total, Gingras supplied Phim with about 5,200 pills during this time period, consisting of over 1.6 kilograms (3.5 pounds) of methamphetamine, court documents read. Gingras sold the pills for about $1 per pill. 'Phim, in turn, re-sold the pills to the undercover officer for a significant profit, at the price of $3.50 per pill,' court documents read. Phim, 37, of Lowell, was sentenced to 10 years in prison. He will then be on five years of supervised release. Read more: Will Mass. lawmakers take action on illicit drug-making machines? Public comment sought. Between February 2022 and April 2022, Erickson Dao, also known as 'Silent,' 32, of Lowell, delivered the counterfeit pills to Phim at least five times. Phim then sold the pills to an undercover federal agent for more than $11,000. On 12 different dates in 2022, Phim sold these counterfeit 'Adderall' pills to an undercover agent. In total, Phim sold the undercover agent over 10,000 pills for more than $36,000. Chemical testing confirmed that the pills were a dangerous compound of methamphetamine and caffeine. When investigators searched Dao's residence, they discovered thousands more counterfeit 'Adderall' pills and large quantities of cocaine. Gingras was seen making 'brief visits' to the back door of Dao's house, 'where Dao routinely engaged in drug transactions,' court documents state. Dao was sentenced to more than seven years in prison. He will then be on four years of supervised release. Read more: We bought a machine that makes fentanyl pills. It wasn't hard Gingras said he was not part of the Asian Boyz gang. However, court documents state he was highly associated with them, including knowing one of the leaders. After the seizure of the drugs, investigators suspected that they had completely disrupted Gingras drug operation. Over Facebook Messenger, another suspected Asian Boyz gang member Samnang Son, or 'Smiley,' told Gingras that he was 'poor.' Gingras responded, 'Me too. I went from balling to crawling.' 'Defendant's response was revealing, capturing his state of mind in the immediate aftermath of the demise of his own illicit drug operation,' court documents read. When officials went to arrest Gingras the next day, they found him at a location in Lowell that is 'frequented by drug addicts and known as a place to obtain and use illicit drugs.' Read more: Hidden in plain sight: Where pill presses have been uncovered in Mass. Court documents state his addiction and mental health issues were considered when deciding his sentence. However, court documents state, 'this case suggests that Defendant even embraced a life of crime.' Officials hopes the nine years in prison gives Gingras 'significant opportunity to participate in the programming available,' including Bureau of Prison's Residential Drug Abuse Program. Netflix movie with well-known comedians needs paid background actors How pink heart shaped fentanyl led to Mass. father's 18-year prison sentence Botulism cases linked to Botox injections under investigation in Massachusetts ICE deportation blocked by Boston judge: Migrants now in shipping container in Djibouti Mass. State Lottery winner: Father will take children to Disney with $100K prize Read the original article on MassLive.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Yahoo
N.C. Attorney General Wins Injunction to Support Western N.C.
RALEIGH, N.C. (WNCT) — Attorney General Jeff Jackson won a court order blocking AmeriCorps from unlawfully ending job and recovery grants in Western North Carolina. According to a press release, 'On April 15, AmeriCorps ordered more than 50 full-time volunteers to stop working on Helene recovery in western North Carolina, as part of terminating more than 750 volunteers working nationwide for the National Civilian Community Corps. On April 25, North Carolina was notified that AmeriCorps would immediately stop funding 10 volunteer organizations funded through the NC Commission on Volunteerism and Community Service, including several serving hard-hit communities in western North Carolina. On April 29, Attorney General Jackson joined a coalition of 23 other attorneys general suing AmeriCorps for not administering grants that Congress had already appropriated.' On Thursday, June 5th, the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland granted a preliminary injunction and restored all programs that had been terminated in N.C. while the case continues. 'A federal judge found that the actions were unlawful because Congress explicitly required that the agency provide advance notice and an opportunity to comment on an any major changes to AmeriCorps services.' 'Western North Carolina will get the funds it needs so AmeriCorps members can keep helping people, keep cleaning up after Helene, and rebuild their homes and neighborhoods,' said Attorney General Jeff Jackson. 'The people in western North Carolina can keep rebuilding while I keep fighting this case.' A copy of the preliminary injunction is available here. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.