07/26/17 — Joint operation cracks down on alcohol, drug violations netting 106 charges

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Joint operation cracks down on alcohol, drug violations netting 106 charges

By Ethan Smith
Published in News on July 26, 2017 9:13 AM

Authorities say a joint operation cracking down on alcohol and drug violations in Lenoir and Wayne Counties over the course of Friday and Saturday night resulted in 106 charges.

Wayne County's ABC Law Enforcement Chief Joe Sadler said officers also raided a liquor house on Daisy Street.

Sadler said they also found the permittee of a fledgling business in downtown Goldsboro to be drinking alcohol during business hours.

"This is just still the concerted effort of trying to bring some of this crime under control here in Goldsboro," Sadler said. "The way you eat an elephant is one bite at a time, and that's what we're doing."

Agents focused on Lenoir County Friday night, with state Alcohol Law Enforcement agents partnering with Lenoir County ABC, the Kinston Police Department and the Lenoir County Sheriff's Office.

They then focused on Wayne County Saturday night, starting at 5 p.m. and ending at 2 a.m.

Sadler said Wayne County ABC partnered with state ALE agents, the Wayne County Sheriff's Office and Goldsboro Police Department.

He said in addition to cracking down on bars and night clubs, undercover ALE agents also made drug-buys from people soliciting them at convenience stores.

"People would solicit our undercovers trying to sell narcotics," Sadler said. "Most of the stores were troubled. We've had issues with them in the past. A lot of calls for police service come from these stores, so as a result of this,  that's why we sent the undercovers in there."

Sadler said officers went to Heroes Sports Oyster Bar & Grill and charged someone with giving alcohol to a minor. He said it was a patron of the bar who provided the alcohol to the minor.

Officers also visited a new bar in downtown Goldsboro -- Center Street Station One O Eight, which is located at 108 N. Center St.

Sadler said they opened a few days prior to the operation, and officers found the permittee of the establishment drinking in the bar during business hours.

The permittee has not been charged with anything yet, Sadler said, and the violation was lodged against the business itself.

Sadler said that violation will be sent up to the state ABC Commission, who will decide what to do about the violation.

Sadler said the charges filed over the course of the two-night operation include:

• Five felony narcotics charges

• Five possession of cocaine with intent to sell and deliver charges

• Seven possession of marijuana charges

• Ten driving while impaired charges

• Eleven possession of an alcoholic beverage by a minor charges

• One giving alcohol to a minor charge

• One unlawful consumption of spirituous liquor charge

• Four ABC violations

• Six driving while license revoked charges

• Nine possession of drug paraphernalia charges

• Three resist, delay and obstruct charges

Sadler said authorities also raided a liquor house on Daisy Street and charged the resident, Willie Lewis, with selling alcohol without a permit.

"We're going to be doing this again," Sadler said. "I don't know the exact date when, and we're not going to be letting anybody know when we're going to do it, but it'll be happening probably several more times before the end of the year."