Since August of 2005, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police have arrested 35-year old Bridgett Nicole Evans 31 times!! All of the fifty-seven charges against her were misdemeanors except two charges involving possession of crack/cocaine.Evans' misdemeanor charges vary from possession of drug paraphernalia, prostitution, assault on a child, communicating threats, indecent exposure, intoxicated and disruptive, etc.
According to the NC Department of Corrections website, Bridgett Evans was convicted of only two of her criminal charges since 2001. In November 2006, Evans was sentenced for a 2001 drug paraphernalia charge and received 12 months probation. In February 2007, Evans pled guilty to another possession of drug paraphernalia charge and received 12 months probation to run concurrently with her first sentence!
Now, I realize Evans' charges are not 'serious' offenses but when and where do we draw the line? Our tax dollars go to work each time a criminal is arrested. We pay for the time spent by the police officer to arrest the suspect and bring them downtown to get processed and fill out paperwork. Then, we pay for the magistrate who sets a bail. After that, we pay for the Sheriff's Officers to process the prisoner and give them clothes, a bed, a hot meal and cable TV!
Once a person is released from jail, we continue to pay for their problems. Our taxes pay for the DA's Office to work the case, we pay for the accused's Defense Attorney (most of the time) we pay Judges, Court Officers, Police Officers to appear in court...I could go on and on but I'm sure you get my point! How much money do you think Bridgett Evans has cost us in State, City and Federal taxes with her 31 arrests, 57 charges in 19 months?
Evans isn't the only one with a misdemeanor arrest record a mile long. In the past three years, police have arrested William Owens 38 times; Robert Morrison King (Photo R) 37 times; Robert Gregory Brown 25 times; and Crystal Chumley 25 times...
