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Operation "Road Watch" ends on successful note

Submitted by WBTV Web Staff
Friday, May 17th, 2013, 2:39pm
Operation "Road Watch" ends on successful note

The Highway Patrol completed its Operation "Road Watch" campaign after a two-day intensive enforcement effort on I-85 in Cleveland and surrounding counties. 

During the two-day event, which began on Tuesday, May 14, and ended on Wednesday, May 15, Troopers concentrated on commercial motor vehicle violations as well as focused their attention on motorists who were driving aggressively around big trucks, speeding, tailgating, and driving aggressively.

Established in 2007, Operation "Road Watch" was designed to improve commercial motor vehicle safety as well as the efficiency of commercial vehicle operations.

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Investigators honored after elementary teacher busted, convicted in child porn ring

Submitted by Chris Dyches
Wednesday, May 15th, 2013, 4:26pm

BURKE COUNTY, NC (WBTV)- A group investigators, who helped track down and convict a Burke County elementary school teacher as part of an international child porn ring, was honored in the nation's capitol for their work.

"The determined and coordinated efforts of five partner agencies of the North Carolina Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) task force brought to justice a former elementary school teacher who had secretly exploited children for years," a release stated.

Fifty-four-year-old Michael Andrew Alexander, a 3rd grade teacher at Hildebran Elementary School, was part of the ring which was broken up in June 2012.

Investigators discovered some of the videos had young girls wearing Hildebran Elementary t-shirts. The videos were then traced to Alexander, who was a teacher at the school for the past seven years.

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"Baker's Dozen" indicted on meth charges, more arrests likely

Submitted by Steve Ohnesorge on Tuesday, May 14th, 6:17 pm

NEWTON, NC (WBTV)- 13 people from Burke and Catawba Counties have been indicted on 99 counts involving the sale and manufacture of methamphetamine.

The "Baker's Dozen" as they are called by the State Bureau of Investigations, had been operating methamphetamine operations in and around the town of Longview. Authorities say the group worked together to obatin the raw materials, most important of them, pseudoephedrine, an ingredient in many cold medicines. "The sale is restricted as to how much and how often you are allowed to buy it, said Pharmcist Chris Kirby.

"It would be hard to get enough of it to make much meth unless it was a big operation," he said. 

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Former probation officer sentenced on drug, extortion charges

Submitted by WBTV Web Staff
Friday, April 26th, 2013, 12:27pm

BURKE COUNTY, NC (WBTV)- A former North Carolina probation officer was sentenced to nearly a year and a half in prison for extortion and drug trafficking offenses involving persons under his supervision.

According to U.S. Attorney Anne M. Tompkins, 46-year-old James David Franklin, of Lenoir, was also sentenced to three years of supervised release following his prison term.

From April 2001 through July 2010, Franklin was employed as a Surveillance Officer by the North Carolina Department of Correction's Division of Community Corrections (DCC) and supervised probationers on intensive supervision in Burke and Caldwell Counties, according to court documents and court proceedings.

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“No Need 2 Speed” Campaign cites 14,542 motorists in NC

Submitted by WBTV Web Staff
Thursday, April 11th, 2013, 1:19pm
“No Need 2 Speed” Campaign cites 14,542 motorists in NC

A total of 42,290 traffic and criminal citations were issued statewide during this year’s “No Need 2 Speed” campaign, which ran March 25 through 31. 

Law enforcement officers from across the state partnered with the Governor’s Highway Safety Program to increase enforcement in an effort to put a stop to one of the main causes of crashes and fatalities on North Carolina’s roads – speeding.

“Law enforcement’s presence on our roads is imperative to reminding motorists to obey speed limits, and we greatly appreciate their dedication to keeping our roads safe,” said Becky Wallace, director of GHSP.

Officers also issued 3,157 safety belt and 587 child passenger safety violations and 1,111 drug charges.

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Accused hostage taker: "I was just out to harm myself, wanting to die"

Submitted by WBTV Web Staff
Saturday, March 23rd, 2013, 12:59pm
Jerry Lee Clark

BURKE COUNTY, NC (WBTV)-

Investigators have charged a man they say held three employees hostage at a drug store in Valdese on Saturday, March 16th.
 
Jerry Lee Clark, was released from the hospital on Friday and charged with three counts of first degree kidnapping and one count of armed robbery, according to the Burke County Sheriff's Office.
 
Witnesses said Clark walked into the store, approached the pharmacy counter, and showed a knife.
Authorities said Clark threatened to start killing people if officers didn't come in and get him.
He was taken into custody without incident, but not before he swallowed a bottle of morphine pills.
Clark was taken to an area hospital for the pills he took.
 
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Couple caught with copper, substations hit

Submitted by Steve Ohnesorge on Thursday, February 14th, 6:48 pm

MORGANTON, NC (WBTV)- After a three month investigation into the theft of copper from electric substations a man and a woman are in jail accused of the crimes.

47-year-old Michael Eugene Wright from Cleveland County and 28-year-old Ashley Nicole Dalton of Burke County are facing charges ranging from breaking and entering to larceny to possession of stolen property.

The two were arrested on Wednesday at a local scrap dealer, trying to sell what is believed to be stolen copper. "We caught them red handed," said Sheriff Steve Whisenant. 

Six different substations were hit during the three month period, one of them was a target of the thieves five separate times. 16 cases in all are being blamed on the couple. "I didn't do anything," said Wright as he was led to the Burke County Sheriff's office Thursday afternoon to be served with additional warrants in the case. "Not guilty," he said. 

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