Complaints about drug activity in Whiteville, including near Central Middle School, led to eight arrests by the sheriff’s office.
Beginning in July, the Columbus County Sheriff’s Office Vice-Narcotics Unit initiated an investigation into the distribution of illegal narcotics substances in the Whiteville community of Columbus County. During the investigation, three search warrants were executed, resulting in the arrest of seven individuals. One suspect was also captured in a vehicle stop, the CCSO said in a press release.
On July 29 a search warrant was executed at a property in the 400 block of West Lewis Street, Whiteville.
Dan Maurice Gowans, 27, of was arrested and charged with felony possession with intent to sell and deliver marijuana, manufacturing cocaine, drug paraphernalia, felony cocaine possession, and possession of firearm by felon. Gowans received a $100,000 secured bond. His address was listed as 304 W. Walter St., Whiteville.
On Aug. 16, Vice-Narcotics Investigators executed two search warrants on Rosemary Street, Whiteville, near Central Middle School. Six individuals were arrested and charged.
• Kathryn Margaret Benson, 36, was charged with felony possession with intent to sell and deliver marijuana and misdemeanor possession of drug paraphernalia. She received a $20,000 secured bond. Her address was listed as 31 Kirby Lane, Whiteville.
• Roxanne Faith Watts, 29, was charged with felony possession with intent to sell and deliver marijuana, misdemeanor possession of drug paraphernalia, and felony maintaining a dwelling for drug activities. She received a $20,000 secured bond. She gave addresses in Whiteville and 866 Baldwin Rd., Hallsboro.
• Zephaniah Martin, 45, was charged with felony possession with intent to sell and deliver marijuana, misdemeanor possession of drug paraphernalia, and felony maintaining a dwelling for drug activities. He received a $20,000 secured bond. His address was listed in jail reports as 205 S. MLK Ave., Whiteville.
• Annise Vennora Wise, 33, was charged with felony possession with intent to sell and deliver marijuana, misdemeanor possession of drug paraphernalia, and felony maintaining a dwelling for drug activities. She received a $20,000 secured bond. Detention center records gave her address as 522 First St., Laurinburg.
• Charles Jones, 76, was charged with felony possession with intent to sell and deliver marijuana, misdemeanor possession of drug paraphernalia, possession of a firearm by a felon, and felony maintaining a dwelling for drug activities. He received a $30,000 secured bond. Detention Center records show his address as 268 Lealer Lyons Rd., Whiteville.
• Levon Junior Campbell, 26, was charged with felony possession of a firearm by a felon. He received no bond. He gave addresses in Whiteville and Loris, S.C.
On Aug. 18, investigators observed a vehicle occupied by Jeffrey Tyler Jerod Crawford, 29, of Whiteville, about whom the CCSO had received a number of complaints.
Investigators initiated a traffic stop on the vehicle. Crawford was found to be in possession of narcotics and a firearm.
He was arrested and charged with two felony counts of trafficking opium or heroin, two felony counts of trafficking cocaine, felony possession of a firearm by a felon, and misdemeanor possession of drug paraphernalia. Crawford received a $750,000 secured bond. Crawford’s address was given as 93 Valley Acres Dr., Whiteville.
