Public records
By Other
Published in News on February 22, 2006 1:45 PM
Defendant's bond
hiked to $1 million
A secured bond for a man charged with two felony drug offenses has been increased to $1 million after a bond hearing in Wayne County District Court.
Deleak Curtis Lofton Jr., 25, of Bladestone Drive, Pikeville, was arrested Feb. 6 by the Goldsboro-Wayne County Drug Squad and charged with possession with intent to sell and deliver cocaine, possession with intent to sell and deliver marijuana and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
At the time, he was jailed in lieu of a $100,000 secured bond.
His court-appointed lawyer, Keith Rouse of Goldsboro, argued this week for a reduced bond.
But Assistant District Attorney Jan Kroboth argued that Lofton's bond should be increased to $500,000 because of his previous convictions. Lofton was convicted in 2004 of conspiracy to sell and deliver cocaine and several misdemeanors.
Judge Les Turner of Pink Hill not only agreed with the prosecutor's argument, but he increased Lofton's bond to $1 million.
Lofton was arrested with three other men after an investigation and search of an apartment in the 400 block of North Carolina Street. Bonds for the others were set between $50,000 and $100,000.
Two assaulted
One man was shot and another was beaten Tuesday night in separate assaults, according to Goldsboro police reports.
Demond Pigford, 24, was wounded at about 8:30 p.m. in his home in the 200 block of Workman Street. Witnesses identified the shooter as the victim's 22-year-old brother, Kevin T. Pigford, who also lived in the home.
Before police arrived, Demond Pigford fled, the report said. Later he was treated in the Wayne Memorial Hospital emergency room and released, a spokeswoman said.
Kevin Pigford was arrested in the home with a pistol in his hand, the report said. He was charged with felony possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. He was placed in the Wayne County Jail in lieu of a $7,500 secured bond.
The other victim, Maurice Lamonte Hatcher, 36, was struck at about 7 p.m. by a man with a hammer or a pipe in a gas station parking lot at South George and West Elm streets, police said.
Hatcher told officers that he approached the other man and asked him about money that he owed. After an argument the other man pulled out a hammer or a pipe and struck Hatcher on the head three times, the report said. A third person then broke up the fight, and the suspect fled.
Hatcher was released after emergency-room treatment.
The assailant was described as black, 6-feet-2 and 170 pounds with a small build, short black hair and brown eyes. He wore blue jeans, a brown jacket, a purple hat and black shoes.
Sex offenders
sought
Two convicted sex offenders are being sought by the Wayne County Sheriff's Office for failing to comply with a state law requiring that they register their addresses.
Timothy James Cerullo, 43, had lived on Wintergreen Lane near Mount Olive. Michael Chiyo Butler, 24, had lived on Alpha Court in Goldsboro.
Anyone with information on the whereabouts of either man was asked to call the Sheriff's Office at 731-1481 or Goldsboro-Wayne County Crime Stoppers at 735-2255. Callers may remain anonymous, and they may be eligible for a cash reward of up to $1,000.
Investigations
Goldsboro police are investigating these reports:
*A heating and air conditioning system, a hot water heater, 150 feet of copper pipe and shower heads and knobs were stolen between Feb. 1 and Tuesday from a rental home in the 400 block of West Vine Street, police said. The thief had damaged a window and wallboard to get inside. The stolen property, owned by Home Credit Corp. of Goldsboro, was valued at $4,789. Damages were set at $325.
*Video-game equipment, shoes and other clothing were stolen Tuesday after a door was damaged at an apartment in the 3500 block of Central Heights Road, police said. The resident, Joshua Davis, put a $925 value on the stolen property.
*A laptop computer was stolen Tuesday after a door was damaged at a home in the 100 block of Airline Place, police said. The resident, Chadwick D. Tripp, said the computer was worth $1,200.
*An unlocked dark green, four-door 2000 Dodge Neon was stolen between Sunday and Monday from the 1200 block of North Drive, police said. The resident, Cederic Mozingo, said the 6-year-old compact auto was worth $12,000.
*A car radio was stolen between Saturday and Sunday after a window was smashed in the 2100 block of Peachtree Street, police said. The resident and owner, Michael Benjamin Wilson, put an $80 value on the radio and set damage at $75.
*A 2001 Mercedes S500 was scratched Saturday in the 200 block of Hooks River Road, resulting in about $2,000 in damages, police said. The car was registered to St. Paul Church of Christ of Wilson.
Thefts
Wayne County sheriff's deputies are investigating these reports:
*A red Craftsman riding lawn mower has been stolen from a locked barn in the 100 block of Green Valley Drive, deputies said. The resident, Leroy King, put a $1,200 value on the mower.
*A stump grinder was stolen between Saturday and Tuesday from the 100 block of Edray Drive, deputies said. The grinder, owned by Williams Tree Service, was valued at $3,500.
Accident
Damages were estimated at $8,000 in a two-car collision at 5:20 p.m. Monday at N.C. 581, or Arrington Bridge Road, and Pecan Road, the Highway Patrol said.
A westbound driver, Michael Joseph Lecuivre, 19, of Tyndall Lane, was charged with a yield violation at a stop sign. The report said the car that Lecuivre was driving had collided with a southbound auto that was driven by Melissa Sue Sutton, 24, of Winterville.