Latest news with #CarteretCountySheriff'sOffice
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Carteret County Sheriff's Office arrest 37 suspects on 333 felony drug charges
CARTERET COUNTY, N.C. (WNCT)- The Carteret County Sheriff's Office arrested 37 suspects on 333 felony drug charges over the past 6 months. 'Operation Think Twice' involved numerous undercover operations and found the suspects actively engaged in drug sales in the community including fentanyl, heroin, methamphetamine and cocaine. Sheriff Asa Buck III said they made numerous controlled and undercover purchases from each of the suspects. 'If you think you're going to sell drugs here in Carteret County, you better think twice,' Buck said. Only three people have died so far this year in Carteret County from an overdose. Buck says this a dramatic decrease from the 35 that died in 2020 and only continues to decrease each year. 'I think that's due to a number of different things, especially the strict enforcement,' Buck said. 'When you take somebody off the street, you put them in jail, they're not out here in the community selling drugs or to somebody's son or daughter.' Buck emphasized that strict enforcement is a part of a long process before it leads to a conviction. 'I absolutely wouldn't say that in Carteret County were too tough on anybody. Matter of fact, I'd like to see some of the laws be a little bit tougher,' Buck said. 'If you put fentanyl in somebody's hand, you hand them a loaded gun.' Prosecutorial District 4 also has one of the highest charging and conviction rates in the state for death by distribution 'One of the reasons that we're so proactive and aggressive with regard to death distribution and drug traffickers is because we want to keep as much pressure as we can on drug traffickers and those who are bringing harm and death into our communities to make our community safer for all of our families,' District Attorney Scott Thomas said. The county also emphasizes compassion for those looking to go into recovery. 'We give those folks the opportunity to go to treatment programs out of our county or many right here in our county,' Buck said. 'If they could successfully complete those programs, maybe instead of getting an active sentence, they might get on probation' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
29-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Carteret County officials request help in locating missing Newport woman
CARTERET COUNTY, N.C. (WNCT) — Officials with the Carteret County Sheriff's Office are seeking help in locating a missing woman. Kelly Warren Lockhart, 52, of Newport, N.C. was last seen on Wednesday, May 28, at around 7pm. She was stated to have been experiencing some mental health issues at the time when she was last seen. Photo courtesy of Carteret County Sheriff's Office of Kelly Warren Lockhart. Kelly is 5'02' tall, weighs approximately 200 pounds, has brown hair, and blue eyes. She was reported to be operating a white 2017 Jeep Renegade with a NC License Plate 'LHN6077.' Her destination and direction of travel are unknown at this time. Kelly has been entered into NCIC as a missing person. If you have any information regarding this incident or Kelly's whereabouts, contact Carteret County Emergency Communications Center at 252-726-1911, lead investigator is Det. Cory Bishop. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
24-04-2025
- Yahoo
Carteret County Sheriff's Office, District Attorney's Office are fighting hard against fentanyl crisis
CARTERET COUNTY, N.C. (WNCT)- The Carteret County Sheriff's Office in collaboration with the District Attorney's Office (District 4) continue to try to stay ahead of the fentanyl crisis and enforce the law to save lives. Earlier this week the offices helped convict Hugh Crandall Willis Jr. of Gloucester, N.C. with Death by Distribution of Fentanyl, Sale and Delivery of Fentanyl and Felonious Possession of Fentanyl. A jury found him guilty of his role in the death of his girlfriend, Bethany JoAlison Styron. According to Sheriff Asa Buck III, Carteret County has had three overdose deaths this year with more than 150 overdose cases in the past five years. However, he also says the county has seen a significant drop over that time period. 'Three is still too many,' Buck said. 'One is too many, but it's nowhere near the numbers of what we were seeing back in 2020, 20, 21, 22, and then in 23 and 24, the numbers began to drop.' Buck says his office and the District Attorney's are continuing to be proactive to the issue. The county has convicted more than 10 people with death by distribution and charged more than 30 since the General Assembly passed the statute in 2019. 'We investigate every drug overdose death just like a homicide and we have been for many years,' Buck said. The sheriff, district attorney and others from the district attorney's office were recently given the 'Save Lives Together' award for their work in holding fentanyl traffickers accountable. 'When people are doing things and it's causing people to die, that's not something that you just sit back and say, well, there's nothing we can do about it,' Buck said. 'You make that a priority and you certainly try to do the very best you can to investigate those criminal offenses and hold people accountable when and where you can through the court system.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
17-04-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Carteret County hosts ‘Operation Medicine Drop' for safe disposal
BEAUFORT, N.C. (WNCT) — The Carteret County Sheriff's Office will host 'Operation Medicine Drop,' a free medication disposal event, on Saturday, April 26, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at all Food Lion locations in Carteret County. The initiative provides a safe way for residents to discard unused or expired prescriptions and over-the-counter medications, helping prevent accidental poisonings, drug misuse and environmental contamination. CCSO reminds parents and caregivers to do the following: Keep medicines locked up and out of reach of children. Always read labels, follow directions, and give medicine to children based on their weights and ages. Only use the dispensers packaged with children's medications. Avoid taking medicine or vitamins in front of kids. Medicine should not be referred to as 'candy.' If you suspect poisoning and a child is choking, collapses, can't breathe or is having a seizure, call 911. Otherwise, take the product to the phone and call the national Poison Help line at 1-800-222-1222. For more information, visit the 'Operation Medicine Drop' website. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
27-03-2025
- Yahoo
Two arrested in Carteret County on drug charges
CARTERET COUNTY, N.C. (WNCT) — Law enforcement officers with the Carteret County Sheriff's Office arrested two people from Beaufort Tuesday. Along with the Beaufort Police Department, deputies with the sheriff's office searched a home on Campen road at the Eastport Apartment Complex. The home belonged to Princealiek Frazier and Araviah Williams. Police secured a search warrant due to an undercover drug investigation where controlled purchases of fentanyl were secured from Frazier and Williams. The search yielded 54.7 grams of marijuana, $2,084 in cash and a small amount of fentanyl. Detectives believe that Frazier flushed most of the fentanyl in their possession before police arrived. An AR-15 and handgun with no serial numbers were also seized. Frazier was charged with possession/conspiracy with intent to manufacture/sell/deliver schedule II controlled substance and marijuana, manufacture/sell/deliver/possess controlled substances within 1,000 feet of a school and possession of gun by felon. He was given a $60,000 secured bond. Williams was charged with possession/conspiracy with intent to manufacture/sell/deliver schedule II controlled substance and marijuana, manufacture/sell/deliver/possess controlled substances within 1,000 feet of a school and child abuse. She was given a $85,000 secured bond. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
