Eight suspects were jailed Monday after a raid on a Twin Pines Road home that’s been frequently visited by law enforcement.
Citizen complaints led to an investigation at 667 Twin Pines Rd., Brunswick, Sheriff Jody Greene said in a press release. The Twin Pines area is notorious for illegal activities.
“The Columbus County Sheriff’s Office Special Operations Division, Patrol Division, and Civil Division received tips of narcotics sales and distribution on Twin Pines Road,” the press release said.
Deputies, Whiteville Police, Probation and Parole and the N.C. Alcohol Law Enforcement (ALE) executed a search warrant at 667 Twin Pines Monday.
Two firearms, 42.7 grams of cocaine, 898 grams of marijuana, and $4,970 in cash were confiscated, according to the release.
Marquez Cherry, Lamarquise Pollard, Latreese Vereen, Brittany Staton, Twamaine Bellamy, John Baldwin, Telvin Hamilton and Russell Huggins were arrested.
Cherry, 27, was charged with possession of a firearm by a felon, trafficking in cocaine, possession with intent to sell and deliver marijuana and cocaine, maintaining a dwelling for drug activities, and drug paraphernalia. His bond was set at $585,000. Cherry listed his address as 661 Twin Pines Road.
Pollard, 23, was held on $75,000 secured bond, charged with trafficking in cocaine and drug paraphernalia. His address was listed as 3221 Pleasant Plains Church Rd., Whiteville.
Latreese Cherika Vereen, 28, was charged with trafficking cocaine, possession with intent to sell and deliver marijuana, drug paraphernalia, and maintaining a dwelling for drug activities. Her bond was set at $76,000. Vereen gave her address as 704 Nolan Ave., Apt. 2E, Whiteville.
Brittany Staton, 34, was charged with carrying a concealed handgun, and released on $1,000 unsecured bond. Her address was not available.
Twanaine Trayvon Bellamy, 23, was held under $25,000 secured bond on charges of possession with intent to sell and deliver cocaine and paraphernalia. His address was listed as 403 Virgil St., Whiteville.
John Baldwin, 23, was charged with trafficking in cocaine and possession of paraphernalia. His bond was set at $50,000. Baldwin gave his address as 467 Red Bug Rd., Hallsboro.
Telvin Devon Hamilton, 29, was charged with possession with intent to sell and deliver cocaine. His bond was set at $25,000 secured. Warrants show his address as 95 Avonda Dr., Chadbourn.
Cherry is due in court Wednesday for a probation violation. He was out on more than $800,000 bond when he was arrested Monday. Vereen was also out on secured bond facing drug and weapons charges. Both were arrested in 2019 after a raid on Cherry’s home turned up cocaine and “multiple” firearms, according to the sheriff’s office. Cherry was later apprehended by U.S. Marshals in a Lumberton motel. In that case, he was charged with possession of a stolen firearm, possession with intent to sell and deliver cocaine, and resisting an officer.
In the 2019 case, investigators were looking for Cherry and Vereen for questioning in the brutal murder of three members of the Noyola family. Leonel Ciprian Noyola, Nancy Trujillo Espinoza, and five year old Alexis Trujillo died in that incident. A fourth victim was seriously wounded but survived. Noyola’s Ford fusion was later found at Cherry’s home on Twin Pines.
Prentis Deshawn “Chopper” McDuffie and a juvenile were later arrested on first degree murder and robbery charges.
Cherry was not charged in the murders, but was later arrested on additional drug charges. In addition to the September 2019 arrest by marshals, Cherry and Vereen, his reported girlfriend. were picked up on drug charges in August 2020 and February 2022.
Greene thanked both the public and the cooperating agencies involved in the case.
“We repeatedly get asked to go after the ‘bigger fish’ and our answer is we are after all the fish, as overdoses are occurring a needle, a pill, or a drug deal at the time,” he said in the press release. “The bigger fish do not all live in our county, so we have teamed with our in-house Federal Task Force Officers to further these investigations across all jurisdictions.
“We are dedicated to bringing all dealers before a judge or jury and allowing them to answer for their narcotics dealings that are killing your family and friends.”
The Columbus County Sheriff’s Office app has a feature that allows anonymous tips on suspicious activity. The app can be downloaded for Android or Apple phones.
