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Sheriff’s checkpoint yields two narcotics arrests

Kevin Lawrence Gerald

By DEUCE NIVEN

tribdeuce@tabor-loris.com

     A weekend traffic checkpoint east of Tabor City manned by Columbus County Sheriff’s Office deputies netted arrests of a local man and another from Longs on a long list of narcotics and other charges.

     Bonds for the men exceeded $1 million, for one it was twice that, a news release Monday from Sheriff Jody Greene said.

     Separate incidents during the Friday evening checkpoint resulted in the arrests of:

  • Kevin Lawrence Gerald, 31, of Ramsey Ford Road, Tabor City
  • Chris Tewa Vereen, 24, of West Shore Drive, Longs

Chris Tewa Vereen

     Both men are accused of fleeing officers after the encountered the checkpoint on NC 904 at Peacock Road

     Deputies recovered a variety of narcotics subsequent to both arrests, the news release said, also finding two firearms tied to Gerald, open alcohol in Vereen’s vehicle.

     Charges against Gerald included several outstanding warrants. His charges include two counts of trafficking in opium or heroin, possession with intent to see and deliver cocaine, simple possession of marijuana, maintaining a place for a controlled substance, assault inflicting serious injury, assault by pointing a gun, driving with a revoked license, operating an uninsured vehicle, fleeing to elude arrest with a motor vehicle, and passenger fleeing a vehicle crash. His bond was set at $2,015,500.

     Charges against Vereen include possession with intent to manufacture sell and deliver heroin, cocaine, marijuana and schedule 3 controlled substances (two counts), maintaining a place for a controlled substance. Possession of drug paraphernalia, assault on a government employee, resisting law enforcement, fleeing to elude arrest with a vehicle, driving with a revoked license, damage to property, and having an open container of alcohol in a vehicle. His bond was set at $1,030,500.

     Look for more on this story in the next Tabor-Loris Tribune in print and online.