CMPD Investigates Saturday Night Shootout on Eastway Drive

Investigators with the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department are still trying to put together the pieces of a Saturday night shooting in Eastway Division that resulted in a car crash. According to police, the shooting could be gang-related.

Authorities say that two cars, each with several passengers, were traveling on Kilborne Drive near its intersection with Eastway Drive. The occupants inside exchanged gunfire between vehicles, which resulted in one of the cars striking a tree. Over twelve people, including some teenagers, were involved in the shooting

In all, the exchange left at least eight victims in its path. Police have five suspects, but have not made any arrests at this time.

If you have any information about this incident, call Crime Stoppers at (704) 334-1600.

CMPD Catches 25th Offender to Remove Electronic Monitor in 2012

Channing Banks

Charlotte-Mecklenburg police arrested 19 year-old Channing Banks on Tuesday for illegally removing his electronic monitoring device.

After two weeks on the run, Banks was apprehended by CMPD on Central Avenue. The 25th offender to remove his device, Banks had been monitored since his release from jail in August. He had been jailed for larceny and possession of stolen goods.

With Banks's arrest, Charlotte-Mecklenburg police have now caught every offender to remove their electronic monitoring device this year.

CMPD Arrest Man for Stolen, Counterfeit Checks

Glen Perry Witcher, Jr,

Forty-four year-old Glen Perry Witcher, Jr. was arrested on charges of passing counterfeit checks which he made after stealing a real check.

Witcher, a Charlotte resident, is accused of taking the check from the mailbox of a woman in Iredell County. He then made the fake checks with the information contained on the real check. He was able to cash one of the checks at a Fifth Third Bank in Davidson. The stolen check was reported to police, who identified Witcher after speaking with bank employees..

Charlotte-Mecklenburg police arrested Witcher last week and released him to the custody of Iredell County authorities.

CMPD Warns of Increased Car Burglaries

Charlotte-Mecklenburg police issued a warning message to local residents regarding the growth of car burglaries in the southwest region of Mecklenburg.

According to police, neighborhoods targeted include those along Steele Creek Road, South Tryon Street, and Moss Road. Wallets, purses, cash, and electronics have been stolen from vehicles left unlocked in those communities.

To prevent your vehicle from being burglarized, be sure to remove any valuables when parking at home or around town. Any suspicious activity should be reported to authorities as soon as possible by calling Crime Stoppers at (704) 334-1600 or Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department at (704) 336-7600.

Charlotte Police Seek Shooting Suspect

Charlotte-Mecklenburg police say a man was shot Sunday at the Inn Town Suites, located near Albemarle Road's junction with East W.T. Harris Boulevard.

After being shot, the victim ran to a nearby Burger King restaurant to get help. His name has not been released at this time, but he was transported to an area hospital with serious injuries.

Police in Charlotte are still looking for a suspect. If you have any information on this incident, call Crime Stoppers at (704) 334-1600.

Operation Medicine Drop Collects Over 495 Pounds of Medication

Law enforcement officers in Charlotte took up over 495 pounds of prescription medications in part of Operation Medicine Drop. The program is designed to keep children, teens, and adults from taking the medication and to combat prescription drug abuse, including education on proper disposal.

After it is collected, Charlotte-Mecklenburg's team properly dispose of the medicines. This has benefits of the traditional methods, like flushing medicine down the toilet or throwing medicine away. According to authorities, those methods can allow the drugs to find their way into the local water supply.

For over three years, Operation Medicine Drop has encountered great success, collecting over hundreds of thousands of pounds of prescription medications that were either old or otherwise unneeded.

CMPD Looking for Suspect in Saturday Morning Shooting

Charlotte-Mecklenburg police are looking for the suspect in an east Charlotte shooting that took place at about 2:15 Saturday morning.

According to authorities, the suspect shot two victims on Cental Avenue before they tried to flee in their car. As the pair tried to get away, they crashed into a median on Eastway Drive. They were then taken to a local hospital by another motorist.

The investigation into this case is ongoing, and police are still looking for a suspect. If you have any information on this case, call Crime Stoppers at (704) 334-1600.

Prostitution Sting Leads to Six Arrests

Albert Henderson

A sting operation in Charlotte produced six arrests for prostitution on Wednesday. Complaints from concerned citizens about prostitution-related robberies sparked the operation.

Both undercover and uniformed police officers took to the streets to identify the suspects in a sting of robberies and prostitution activity around the Eastway Drive and Frontenac Avenue areas located near Shamrock Drive.

Those arrested in the operation include 37 year-old Delmonica Cuthberson, 42 year-old Wendi Wolfe and Lisa Ayers, 20 year-old Chatal McFadden, and 21 year-old Michela Cornett. These women were charged on various prostitution-related solicitation and loitering charges. Twenty-two year-old Albert Henderson was charged with possession of firearm by felon.

Michela Cornett

Wendi Wolfe

Lisa Ayers

DA: Property Team Convicts 48 Defendants, Sends Two Sex Offenders to Prison

CHARLOTTE, N.C. –   Forty-eight defendants pled guilty to property crimes in Mecklenburg County
Superior Court from Monday, September 17 through Friday, September 21, 2012.  The defendants entered their pleas in courtroom 5350 before The Honorable James W. Morgan, Superior Court Judge.  The convictions were for crimes that included  failing to register as a sex offender, second degree burglary, felony breaking or entering, felony larceny, larceny of a firearm, breaking or entering a motor vehicle, obtaining property by false pretense, embezzlement and financial transaction card theft.

Among those convicted were the following:

Roderick Antoine Alexander, 45, pled guilty to failing to register as a sex offender.  Judge Morgan sentenced Alexander to 26-41 months in prison.  He was previously convicted of second degree rape in 1993, and of failing to register as a sex offender in 2010.
Preston Applewhite, 29, pled guilty to failing to register as a sex offender.  Judge Morgan sentenced Alexander to 20-33 months in prison.  He was previously convicted of attempted second degree rape in 2001.
Jaquell Villegas, 17, pled guilty to second degree burglary, felony larceny of a motor vehicle, breaking or entering a motor vehicle, and misdemeanor larceny.  Judge Morgan sentenced Vellegas to 10-21 months in prison.

Jaquell Villegas

Preston Applewhite

Roderick Antoine Alexander

Overnight Shooting Leaves Charlotte Man Dead

Johnny Peay

An overnight shooting left a Charlotte man dead and police looking for his killer. CMPD received a call of shots fired on Garibaldi Avenue shortly after 4:00 Thursday morning.

Authorities confirmed the victim as 24 year-old Johnny Peay, who died at Carolinas Medical Center after being shot in the back while exiting his vehicle.

The suspect is described as a black male standing 6' tall, possible with a dark complexion. He also wore glasses and was seen leaving the crime scene in a four-door silver vehicle. Police say they have no reason to classify this as a random act of violence and suspect Peay knew his killer.

If you have any information on this case, you are encouraged to call a Homicide Unit detective at (704) 432-TIPS or call Crime Stoppers at (704) 334-1600.


View Larger Map

2 Overnight Shootings Leave 3 Shot in Charlotte

Three people were shot Monday night in two unrelated Charlotte shootings, leaving police searching for the suspects.

Two people were shot in the first incident, which occurred on Ellendale Drive, not far from the intersection of  West Tyvola Road and Nations Ford Road. One of the victims sustained life-threatening injuries.

Later that night, someone was shot at an apartment on Saratoga Drive. That is right behind Thomasboro Elementary, near Bradford Drive. That victim is expected to recover.

Charlotte-Mecklenburg police are still searching for the gunmen behind these crimes. If you have any information about these incidents, call Crime Stoppers at (704) 334-1600.
View Larger Map

CMPD to Receive Over $100K For New Equipment

During a meeting on Monday evening, City Council approved over $100,000 to go to the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department for new gear.

Equipment covered under the approval includes rifle plates and tactical vests. Also approved in Monday's meeting is over $560,000 to go towards the maintenance of helicopters as well as helicopter training.

Some time in October, CMPD plans to release information about what was purchased with the $50 million that the city received for the Democratic National Convention. They will also release what the police department was able to keep and what they had to return.

Six Suspects Arrested In CMPD Robbery Sting

Charlotte-Mecklenburg police have announced six arrests that come as the culmination of a robbery sting that took place on Thursday. Police cited 28 charges to the men for the robberies of eight Charlotte convenience stores from July 26 to September 20.

The breakthrough came after a robbery at the Shell gas station located at 2519 Beatties Ford Road. A K-9 dog located the robbery suspect a house on Ablewood Road. Police found six men at that residence, four of which were charged in connection with two robberies that occurred Thursday; one was the robbery on Beatties Ford Road, another was at the Circle K on North Graham Street.

Those charged include two 17 year-olds - Anfernee Nash and Sanchez Nicholson; three 19 year-olds - Jacobe Lavonne Walker, Dondrae Lamar Stewart, and Xavier Mills; and 20 year-old Desmond Stone.

The men are accused of taking part in the following robberies:

• The July 26 and September 12 robberies of the 7-11 at 5455 Brookshire Boulevard
• The September 6 robbery at an ATM on Hovis Road
• The September 9 robbery of the Food Mart at 309 Bradford Drive 
• The September 16 robbery of the Busy Mini Mart at 114 South Hoskins Road



Desmond Stone

• The September 19 robbery of the Sunoco convenience store at 3814 
• Brookshire Boulevard

Anfernee Nash

Sanchez Nicholson

Jacobe Lavonne Walker

Xavier Mills

Dondrae Lamar Stewart

Overnight Traffic Stop Produces 16 DWI's

Sixteen people were arrested for driving while intoxicated after Charlotte-Mecklenburg police conducted a traffic checkpoint Saturday night. The checkpoint was held on Park Road close to it's intersection with Kenilworth Avenue and Scott Avenue in south Charlotte.

Of the sixteen DWI arrests, four were under the legal drinking age of 21. There were also two drug charges and one stolen firearm charge. Fourteen people were caught driving with no license, while five were driving on a revoked license. In all, 58 charges were issued.

Checkpoints like this are critical to maintaining the integrity of our driving safety in the Charlotte area.

Would-Be Bank Robber Leaves Before Collecting

Surveillance footage courtesy of the FBI.

The BB&T bank on Albemarle Road was almost robbed on Friday after the suspect left the bank before he took any money.

According to authorities, a man entered the bank while wearing a white painter's mask shortly after 2:00 Friday afternoon. He passed to a teller a note demanding cash, but left before he collected.

The suspect is described as a black male wearing a gold and white colored sweatsuit, a grey hat, and a painter's mask.

Authorities are trying to determine if this robbery is connected to a robbery at the same bank on August 29, which occurred under similar circumstances.

If you have any information about this case, you are encouraged to call Crime Stoppers at (704) 334-1600.


   

Mecklenburg Shooting Leaves One Dead in Street

One person was killed in a Charlotte-area street on Saturday night, leaving authorities searching for his killer. CMPD received a call of shots fired in the 8600 block of Lawyers road just after 10:00 Saturday night. Responding officers discovered the victim, who was pronounced dead on the scene by Mint Hill paramedics.

The identity of the victim has not been released, but police say he was riding in a vehicle with others. The other people in the car had fled the scene on foot. A separate vehicle was involved but also left the scene.

Charlotte-Mecklenburg police canvassed the area for clues, along with CMPD's Gang Unit. If you have any information about this incident, you are encouraged to contact detectives by calling (704) 432-TIPS. As always, you can contact Crime Stoppers by calling (704) 334-1600.

Thursday Night Traffic Stop Produces 11 Arrests, 117 Citations

Eleven people were put behind bars Thursday night as the result of a DWI checkpoint set up by Charlotte-Mecklenburg police. Of those 11 people, five were charged with driving while intoxicated.

The checkpoint started at 11:00 Thursday night on the 5200 block of North Sharon Amity Road, near its junction with East W.T. Harris Boulevard. It continued until about 3:00 Friday morning. CMPD handed out 117 citations as a result of the traffic stop, including 32 for driving while license revoked and 28 for driving without a license.

In addition to the DWI's and driving charges, there were two open container charges and five drug charges.

Dog Walking Burglar Now Faces Animal Cruelty Charges

Charges are racking up for 21 year-old Jordan Frye. Frye is the owner of the dog walking service Queen City Dog Service. He was arrested Tuesday on burglary charges for stealing expensive items from his clients' homes while they were away. Because he had earned the trust of his clients, Frye had keys and alarm codes to enter their homes. He admitted to authorities that he had taken 83 items, including jewelry and electronics, from his clients' homes from May to September.

Frye is now being charged with animal cruelty after a search of his home produced a mistreated puppy that quickly died thereafter. According to investigators, 8 month-old Cupcake was found with urine and feces all over her. Frye had been watching the dog over a period of two weeks. Cupcake's owner, who had used Queen City Dog Service for a period of months, was shocked to find out how her dog had been treated.

Frye's charges now include cruelty to animals and several counts of felony larceny and felony possession of stolen goods.

CMPD Search for Suspect in Overnight Convenience Store Robbery

The Circle K gas station on North Graham Street, just south of the Brookshire Freeway, was robbed at around 2:15 Thursday morning. Charlotte-Mecklenburg police are looking for the suspect, who waked into the store armed with a gun while wearing a mask or other face covering. The man fled the scene on foot after demanding money from the cashier.

Police canvassed the area with K-9 dogs, but were not able to locate the suspect. The convenience store is located . The robber is described as black male with an average frame and height. The suspect was wearing dark jeans and a black jacket.

If you have any information about this armed robbery, call Crime Stoppers at (704) 334-1600.

CMPD Arrests Armed Robbery Suspect

Forty year-old Michael Antoine Wright was arrested by Charlotte-Mecklenburg police after he reportedly robbed a sweepstakes center at 5300 Old Pineville Road..

Wright walked into the Pot O Gold Sweepstakes Center at about 9:30 Monday night and robbed the clerk at gunpoint before forcing him into a bathroom. After collecting evidence, investigators arrested Wright without incident at his Wingate Avenue home.

Wright is charged with robbery with a dangerous weapon and first-degree kidnapping.

If you have any additional information on this case, call Crime Stoppers at (704) 334-1600.