Burke law round-up finds 11, property seized

In a multi-agency effort Wednesday, officers hoped to serve 38 warrants for drug related charges. As of 5 p.m. officers had succeeded in serving 11 warrants across the county.

Narcotics Task Force Lt. Alex Cobb said some of the warrants are from a year ago while others are more recent.

The drug charges varied, Cobb said. Charges may have stemmed from undercover investigations, traffic stops or seized marijuana plants.

The Department of Revenue was on hand to serve tax warrants related to the drug charges, which included seizing property for unpaid taxes on controlled substances.

In all the officers seized three vehicles, a horse trailer, a utility trailer, a tractor, a bushhog, a commercial auger, a commercial sprayer, two horse saddles, nine marijuana plants, bagged marijuana, numerous tools and U.S. currency.

Officers divided into two-man teams and spread across the county to serve the warrants.

For William Danton Buff Jr., 32, of 7111 Corn Hill Road, a deaf ear to the banging on the door didn't help him evade the law.

First, officers knocked on the door, which escalated to banging on the door when no one answered.

Peeks through the windows revealed two men laying on the floor of a room, and officers warned the men inside to open the door.

When there was no answer, officers opened the back door, by turning the doorknob and were greeted with shouts from within.

Shortly afterward, the officers escorted Buff from the residence.

Buff was served a warrant for trafficking marijuana.

Narcotics Task Force Sgt. Rick Hasson said investigators found 26.5 pounds of marijuana at the residence about a month ago.

Officers seized more than $40,000 worth of property from Buff. The property seized included two pick-up trucks, a tractor, a trailer and a dune buggy.

Cobb said the seized property would be sold at a Department of Revenue auction in Raleigh. Agencies involved in the investigation will receive 75 percent of the profit and the state will keep the remaining 25 percent.

Cobb lauded the willingness of local agencies within the county to assist the Narcotics Task Force, a small team, in serving warrants.

"It's really a plus for us," Cobb said. "With limited personnel on the task force, we have to depend on this."

Valdese Police Chief John Suttle said, "We're able to accomplish more by working together and for particular objectives instead of working individually."

Drexel Police Chief Mike Swink, along with Cobb and Suttle, said the level of cooperation between Burke County's law enforcement agencies is unparalleled.

Suttle said, "Burke County to me is a unique county because you don't have a lot of people that are territorial, therefore the cooperation is more readily available."

Swink said, "None of the larger agencies feel like they are any better, and we get so much more accomplished when we work together."

Suttle and Swink said their respective officers who assisted in the roundup Wednesday were off duty officers.

The Burke County Narcotics Task Force was joined by officers from the Burke County Sheriff's Office, Drexel Police Department, Morganton Department of Public Safety, Valdese Police Department, the North Carolina Alcohol Law Enforcement and the N.C. Department of Revenue Controlled Substance Tax Division to serve warrants across the county in a local round-up.

The other people served warrants Wednesday are:
• Leon Robert Creasy, 22, of 3950 Piney Road for manufacturing marijuana.
• James Henry Gibson, 32, of 3875 Frank Whisnant Road for manufacturing marijuana.
• Gary Houston Powell, 19, of 3151 Muddy Road, Icard for possession of a controlled substance in jail, possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia.
• John Joseph Ryan Jr., 46, of 5078 Millstone Ave., Valdese for attempting to obtain a controlled substance by fraud or forgery.
• Tasha Nicole Ryan, 25, of 5078 Millstone Ave., Valdese for attempting to obtain a controlled substance by fraud or forgery.
• Joseph Harold Hensley, 42, of 2408 Enon Road, Valdese for manufacturing marijuana.
• Rebekah Yaroboroug Breedlove, 48, of 106 Ones Branch Court for obtaining a controlled substance by fraud or forgery and possession of marijuana.
• Mary Moody-Lazabeck, 25, of 407 Park Ave., Lot 3, Drexel for possession with intent to sell or deliver marijuana.
• Jerry Dean Wheeler, 52, of 3636 Sunset Grill St., Hildebran for possession of a controlled substance, possession of marijuana and possession with intent to sell or deliver marijuana.
• Loyd Gregory Mosteller, 46, of 119-11th St. N.E., Hildebran for manufacturing marijuana.