Investigators say they seized an array of drugs and guns after executing a search warrant at a Cleveland County home Tuesday.
The search warrant was served at a home in the 5000 block of Hawthorne Lane, Shelby, by the Cleveland County Sheriff’s Office narcotics division.
Investigators say they seized from the home:
25 grams of methamphetamine, with a street value of $2,500
19 grams of heroin, with a street value of $1,900
5 grams of marijuana valued at $50
Several items of stolen property
2 handguns
Five people were arrested, all of whom lived at the home. Those charged include:
Preston Emmett Shipley, 27, of Shelby, possession of heroin, possession of drug paraphernalia and maintaining a dwelling for controlled substance, $10,000 bond.
Two charged for having heroin, guns
Two men face charges after investigators say they were caught with heroin and guns.
Hoyt Edward Thorn, of Chapel Grove Road, Gastonia, and Dylan Cole Franklin, of James Love School Road, Shelby, are the most recent arrests in the Cleveland County Sheriff’s Office ongoing focus on drugs coming into the community.
“The Sheriff’s Office will continue to make drug investigations a high priority,” said Sheriff Alan Norman.
Norman has made it a priority on stopping the flow of drugs like heroin, methamphetamine and others into the county for more than a year. Citing that drug use leads to other crimes.
Feb 3, 2021
A Norman man has been charged with five felonies, including one count each of first-degree burglary and robbery by force or fear, and three counts of assault with a dangerous weapon.
Domanic Jermaine Turner, 41, was charged Jan. 4 in Cleveland County District Court.
According to a court affidavit, a Norman Police officer reported around 9:12 p.m. Jan. 3 to Riverbend Apartments and spoke with three women, one of whom had multiple stab wounds to her leg and torso.
One woman said Turner broke her apartment window at Ashton Place Apartments. The women fled together in a vehicle, but Turner followed and hit the back of the car. They stopped at Riverbend Apartments, where Turner hit the car again and blocked the driver from exiting.
Man accused of inappropriately touching two girls
Zebulon Vance Whitener, 66, was booked into the detention center in Shelby early Tuesday morning.
Investigators say Whitener’s friend offered to let him move in with her in November when he was down on his luck. Since then, he inappropriately touched the woman’s 3- and 5-year-old granddaughters, investigators say. When the girls told her about the alleged abuse, she kicked him out of the house and informed the Cleveland County Sheriff’s Office.
Investigators interviewed the children and issued four warrants for indecent liberties with a minor.
The incidents reportedly happened in a home in the southern part of the county. Capt. Bryan Gordon cautioned people to keep a close eye on your children, especially when you trust other adults to be alone with them.
Feb 4, 2021
Feb 4, 2021
A Norman man faces two felony counts of lewd acts to a child under age 12 after he was charged Jan. 26 in Cleveland County District Court.
Bryan Allan Thomas, 24, allegedly inappropriately touched the privates of a 5-year-old girl between Dec. 29, 2019, and Jan. 7, 2020, according to a court affidavit.
A Norman Police detective started investigating a report of a young girl acting out sexually with her cousin. When she was asked about the behavior, she pointed to her privates and said âDaddy Bryan,â aka Thomas, had played with her there.
According to the affidavit, during a forensic interview at the Mary Abbott Children s House, the girl disclosed via drawings that Thomas had put his mouth on her bottom more than once and that he had touched her there with his hands, causing her pain. She also disclosed through drawings that Thomas made her put her mouth on his privates.