1 pleads not guilty in case
of alleged illegal gambling

The last of 30 people charged in connection with alleged illegal gambling operations in Western North Carolina pleaded not guilty in front of a federal magistrate judge last Thursday.

Irvin Keith Comer said he is not guilty of conspiracy to run an illegal gambling business and running an illegal gambling business.

Comer was arrested in a series of investigations by federal and state authorities into video poker machine operations that continued to pay out cash rewards even after North Carolina banned them.

He was a partial owner of a company managed by Jack W. “Jackie” Shepherd, a longtime political supporter of former Buncombe County Sheriff Bobby Medford, who also was charged during three sweeping and interconnected investigations.

According to the indictment, Shepherd and Comer’s company, Western Amusement Inc., made at least $2,000 in gross revenue a day from 41 machines in Buncombe and Madison counties, which made illegal payouts at more than 10 locations.

Prosecutors say that the South Carolina-based company made millions through video gambling machines located throughout Western North Carolina.

The company’s owners also are accused of employing former Buncombe deputies who worked for Medford, according to federal allegations.

Only Medford, his deputies and the owners and employees of Shepherd’s business are still awaiting trial. Others have pleaded guilty.

According to court papers unsealed Dec. 17, Irvin Keith Comer, Kerry Lee Comer and Joseph Wayne Vinesett were responsible for collecting profits from stores that had Western Amusement machines.

Shepherd’s son and stepson, Harold Denver Shepherd and Jackie Dwayne Jenkins II, also are accused of making illegal cash payouts.

The men have pleaded not guilty.

Shepherd contributed to Medford’s failed re-election campaign in 2006.

Medford is being held at the Caldwell County jail, awaiting trial on charges of conspiracy to commit extortion under the color of official right, conspiracy to commit mail fraud, mail fraud and deprivation of honest services of a public official, conspiracy to commit money laundering, false statements, and obstruction of state and local law enforcement.

Former sheriff locked alone
in cell awaiting federal trial

LENIOR — Former Buncombe County Sheriff Bobby Medford is being held in a solitary 6-foot-by-8-foot jail cell while he awaits his trial on federal corruption charges.

Medford is being held at the Caldwell County jail, about 75 miles east of Asheville, following his Dec. 13 indictment on charges connected to video poker operations.

Caldwell Sheriff Alan Jones said that the solitary cell is intended to protect Medford from other inmates. Other than his lack of contact with other inmates, Medford is being treated the same as any other prisoner, Jones said.

Medford was arrested by the U.S. Marshals Service, which turned him over to the Caldwell County jail, one of several facilities in the region authorized to house federal prisoners.

One of Medford’s co-defendants, former Lt. John “Johnny” Harrison, also is being held at the same jail. Two other former deputies charged along with Medford are being held in the Burke County jail.

Jones said the county gets $45 per day for housing each federal prisoner, at which rate it breaks even. The county is currently renegotiating that fee.

Medford reportedly has serious health problems, including chronic pain from four back surgeries. His medications, which had been paid for by county insurance, are now covered by the federal government.

When he was sheriff, inmates alleged that they had been denied medical care and had been physically abused in his jail.

The American Civil Liberties Union said it had received numerous complaints about abuses at the jail.

In 2005, the ACLU held a public forum on the alleged abuses, at which about 100 people attended, but no one from the Sheriff’s Office attended.

Medford also was accused of using the jail to punish unloyal staffers, according to allegations that surfaced during his unsuccessful 2006 re-election bid.

Four former deputies said Medford transfered them to the jail from other duties, or tried to, because they had fallen out of favor with him.

DA won’t charge 3 officers
over shooting during chase

District Attorney Ron Moore announced last Thursday that he will not charge three Asheville police officers who fired into a car during a chase, seriously injuring a passenger.

Moore said he concluded that officers Stony Gonce, Brian Hogan and Cheryl Intveld had not used excessive force after reviewing the State Bureau of Investigation’s report about the incident.

However, Moore is still considering whether to bring charges against a fourth officer, Justin Clinard, who was accused of assaulting driver Larry Julius Wilson, as the officers were pulling him from the car. Clinard was fired from the department.

Police said Wilson, 57, tried to hit the officers with the car during the chase. He is in jail facing four counts of assault with a deadly weapon on a government official and two counts of fleeing to elude arrest.

Passenger Mary Ann Wilcox was badly injured after police fired into the car, striking her twice and damaging her liver, leg and spleen.

The pursuit began about 12:22 a.m. after an officer reportedly saw Wilson acting suspiciously. When the officer tried to stop him, Wilson got into a Pontiac Grand Prix and fled.

The officers chased Wilson out of a housing complex, where he tried to run down an officer, according to reports.

The pursuit continued into the Haw Creek neighborhood, where Wilson allegedly entered Spruce Hill Apartments and attempted to run down another officer, who opened fire on the vehicle.

Wilson drove out and struck a police car, according to reports.

Police deployed stop sticks on New Haw Creek Road, which blew out at least one of Wilson’s tires, but he allegedly kept driving, returned to Spruce Hill Apartments and attempted to run down two more officers.

At that point, the officers began firing into the car, hitting the vehicle 10 times.

Moore said that Wilson and Wilcox have refused to cooperate with SBI investigators.

3 teens charged in holdup
at Pet Supermarket store

Three teens were arrested last week in connection with an armed robbery at a Pet Supermarket store on Tunnel Road last Wednesday.

Police say Roderick Demon Durant, 17, threatened an employee of the store with a shotgun and stole $1,250, as well as a cell phone and $5 cash from a man.

Durant, of Evelake Drive, was charged with two counts of robbery with a dangerous weapon. He was being held in lieu of $20,000 bond.

Terrell Keith Young, 19, of Montana Avenue also was charged with conspiracy to commit armed robbery, as was an unnamed juvenile.

Young was being held in lieu of $10,000 bond.

Couple accused of stealing
Doberman pup from home

Asheville police officers last Wednesday arrested Christopher William Berry and Rebecca Asheley Presseisn, both of Riceville Road, for allegedly stealing a Doberman puppy.

Police say that Berry, 25, took the dog from a Spooks Branch Road resident. He was charged with larceny of a dog. Presseisn, 22, was charged with aiding and abeting possession of stolen goods.

The puppy’s value was assessed at $350.

The pair were released on written promises to appear in court.

In other police action last Wednesday, officers arrested Herschell Hamilton of Rock Hill Circle on charges of assault inflicting serious injury and assault with a deadly weapon.

Police say Hamilton, 39, assaulted an Asheville woman by hitting her with a car door and knocking her out.

Sheriff’s deputies seeking 2
related to recent burglaries

Buncombe County sheriff’s investigators are seeking to “people of interest” in relation to a recent series of burglaries.

The Sheriff’s Office Breaking and Entering Suppression Team is looking for Michelle Paula Ross, 28, of 35 Brookdale Rd., and Johnathan Levi Brown, 21, of 8 Ezekiel Mountain in Barnardsville.

Ross is an American Indian woman, about 5 feet 7 inches tall and 140 pounds with brown hair and brown eyes. She has a tattoo on her upper left back that says “Junebug.”

She is wanted on cocaine and marijuana possession charges and may be in the Cherokee area.
Brown is Caucasian, 5 feet 10 inches tall, 140 pounds and has black hair and blue eyes.

He is wanted on charges of forgery and possession of stolen goods.

Anyone with information about their whereabouts can contact Crimestoppers at 255-5050.

Man faces multiple charges
including drug possession

An Asheville man was arrested last Thrusday on multiple drug-related charges.

Charles Anthony Bryson, of Waters Street, was charged with maintaining a dwelling for purposes of a controlled substance; possession with intent to manufacture, sell or deliver a schedule VI controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Police say that Bryson, 30, possessed 364 grams of marijuana. He was being held in lieu of $3,500.

Other arrests made last Thursday in Buncombe County include:
• Celestino Olmos Escobar, 25, of Bailey Branch Rd. in Marshall, charged by city police on two counts of obstruction justice.
Police say Escobar gave judges false names. He also was charged with failure to appear on charges of driving while license revoked, driving while impaired, second-degree tresspassing and intoxicated and disruptive behavior. He was being held under $8,000 bond.
• Derrick Devan Morgan, 19, of Chapel Park Road, arrested by city police on charges of resisting public officers.
Police say Morgan gave a false name while they were responding to a call at the Asheville Mall.
He also was charged with failing to appear on charges of two counts of shoplifting, misdemeanor larceny, second-degree trespassing and possession of stolen goods.
Morgan was being held in lieu of $1,700 bond.
• Michael Lee Ross Ward, 20, of Smart Road, arrested by sheriff’s deputies on charges of safecracking, obtaining property by false pretenses and felony probation violation.
Authorities say Ward stole a safe from a woman’s home, and that he pawned a stolen iPod and ring for $80.
He was being held in lieu of $1,500 bond.

Inmate captured following
escape from Buncombe jail

A prisoner waiting for an escort back to his cell after a court hearing managed to briefly escape by slipping into a group of inmates being released from the Buncombe County Detention Center on Dec. 27.

Myron Keith Thompson escaped the jail about 3 p.m. and was caught about 9:30 that night after a search effort by up to 25 sheriff’s deputies and Asheville police.

Thompson, 42, managed to join a group of inmates who were going through out-processing following their court appearances.

About 15 minutes passed between his escape and his captors’ realization that he was gone.
Officials at the center are investigating how such an escape could have happened. It was the only escape at the jail in 2007.

Thompson was arrested Dec. 26 on a charge of misdemeanor larceny and on a charge of failure to appear in court on charges of resisting public officers, five counts of misdemeanor larceny, three counts of possession of drug paraphernalia, two counts of simple drug possesssion, possession of marijuana and driving with a revoked license.

Thompson has a previous criminal record that includes larceny, breaking and entering, and drug charges.

2 face charges of burglary
at Leicester grocery store

Leicester — Buncombe County Sheriff’s deputies arrested two men on Dec. 26 for allegedly breaking into a Leicester grocery store.

Jimmy Lee Brooks, 23, of Dust Bowl Drive and Scotty Dale Jones, 24, of Dark Cove Road, are accused of breaking into Country Food Store on Old Newfound Road and stealing a cash register full of money.

Brooks is charged with breaking and/or entering, larceny, possession of burglary tools, possession of stolen goods and possession of drug paraphernalia. He was being held in lieu of $7,500 bond.

Jones is charged with breaking and/or entering, and was being held in lieu of $3,000 bond.
Other arrests the week of Dec. 23-30 include:
• Charles Walter Wilson, 38, of Erskine Avenue, arrested Dec. 26 by Asheville police on charges of assault on a female, assault by strangulation, resisting public officers, intoxicated and disruptive behavior and two counts of assaulting a government employee.
He also was arrested on a charge of failure to appear in court on previous charges that included driving with a revoked license and intoxicated and disruptive behavior.
He was held for 48 hours under no bond.
• Cesar Fernando Pinzon, 29, of Edwards Street, who was arrested by Asheville police Dec. 24 for allegedly embezzling $4,073 from Belk at the Asheville Mall while he worked there as a clerk.
He was released under a $500 unsecured bond.
• Christian Fernando Montero, 19, of LIndsey Road in Candler, who was arrested Dec. 24  on a charge of communicating threats.
Authorities say Montero threatened to injure a woman. He also was arrested on a charge of failure to appear in court on charges of driving without insurance and three counts of driving with a revoked license. He was released under a $1,000 unsecured bond.
• Byron Casey Hatley, 26, of Riceville Road, who was arrested by sheriff’s deputies on Dec. 24 on charges of assault on a female, two counts of communicating threats, possession of drug paraphernalia, possession of marijuana and resisting public officers.
He was held under no bond for 48 hours.

Police looking for suspect
in armed robbery at store

City police are searching for a man who held up a convenience store at gunpoint on Dec. 27.
Officers responded to a report of the robbery about 6:45 p.m. at The Spot on Sweeten Creek Road.

A store clerk said a man entered the store with a handgun and robbed the store.