Dudley liquor lounge raid leads to arrests
By Melody Brown-Peyton
Published in News on June 18, 2018 7:36 AM
Federal, state and local law enforcement seized weapons and drugs during a joint raid on a liquor lounge in Dudley earlier this month.
The joint operation, involving Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Alcohol Law Enforcement, Wayne County Alcohol Beverage Control enforcement agents and Wayne sheriff deputies, resulted in multiple arrests when a SWAT team converged on KP Lounge, at 169 Hack Drive, on June 9 at 1:45 a.m., said Joseph Sadler, law enforcement chief of the Wayne County ABC Board.
The SWAT team conducted a dynamic entry of the business using flash-bang grenades, used to gain control of a large crowd of 55 to 60 people inside the lounge. The raid was triggered by complaints alleging that alcohol and drugs were being sold on the premises, Sadler said.
During the raid, law enforcement seized four handguns, drugs and several bottles of alcohol. Several people inside the club were arrested and charged.
Kenneth Pride, who was operating the lounge, was charged with possession with the intent to sell alcohol without an Alcoholic Beverage Control permit, Sadler said. Additional charges are expected.
The following individuals were also arrested and charged:
• Tilwani Boyette, 37, Dudley, possession of Schedule I controlled substance and two counts of failure to appear;
• Kejun A. Shackelford, 27, Kinston, outstanding warrant for probation absconder;
• Sticketta M. Wright, resisting obstruct and delay law enforcement;
• Demario Young, 32, Goldsboro, possession of marijuana.
The joint raid included involvement from three ALE agents, three ABC enforcement agents, one ATF agent and three Wayne County sheriff deputies.
KP Lounge was also the site of a June 3 shooting that resulted in a man being shot in the abdomen, Sadler said. The victim was taken to Wayne UNC Health Care and later transported to Vidant Medical Center. The name and age of the victim cannot be released, since the shooting remains under investigation, Sadler said.
On the KP Lounge Facebook site, a flier was recently posted stating the hours of operation being from midnight to 5 a.m. every Saturday, with a $3 cover charge for women and $4 for men.
"This is the problem with this type of establishment," Sadler said. "It breeds violence and drugs. This lounge is no longer in operation, and if it does reopen, we will conduct a similar operation again."