State opens case against alleged drug trafficking family members
By Nick Hiltunen
Published in News on July 30, 2009 2:08 PM
Full Size
News-Argus/GREG SOUSA
Matthew Spruill, left, and Krystal Bryant listen to testimony in Wayne County Superior Court on Wednesday. They, along with two other members of the Spruill family, are charged with dealing in cocaine.
Witnesses were expected to continue testifying today in Wayne County Superior Court in the trial of four people accused of trafficking in cocaine from a Dollard Town Road area home.
Law enforcement officers have raided property owned by the Spruill family multiple times, including at least three occasions last year.
All four people involved in this case are being tried at once, including Matthew Jonas Spruill, 22, Joe Nathan Spruill Jr., 31, Antonio Makee Spruill, 24. Also being tried is Krystal Danielle Bryant, 23, of Odom Farm Circle, Dudley, who was connected to a drug raid in February 2008, according to police.
On Wednesday, District Attorney Terry Yeh began calling witnesses.
Attorneys Robert Lane and Charles Gurley are representing the four defendants.
Yeh described the scene lawmen found, including a burgundy Cadillac and green Lexus apparently searched by police.
Lane objected to the inclusion of property seized from the Cadillac, saying he believed the search to be illegal.
"Any recovery of contraband ... would be fruit of a poisonous tree," Lane said. "The problem to my client, by placing that into evidence ... that would be the only evidence that would reach the level of trafficking."
Judge Arnold Jones said he had already ruled on motions dealing with evidence taken from the vehicles.
"When charges were brought against (Matthew Jonas Spruill), I've ruled on those pre-trial motions," Jones said. "The court has ... reviewed the motions to supress evidence, and does note these things for the record."
Ms. Yeh had called Goldsboro police Investigator Karen Powers to the stand to testify after Jones allowed evidence to be submitted.
Ms. Powers testified about the police work involved in submitting the vehicles as evidence, including checking the license plates against their owners.
Testimony was expected to continue today in Wayne County Superior Court.