Buy-bust operation nets string of arrests

Staff

Originally published 11:40 p.m., October 29, 2008
Updated 02:31 p.m., October 30, 2008

Four North Carolina residents are facing weapons charges after a local and federal authorities conducted a joint “buy-bust” operation in a Suffolk shopping center early Wednesday night.

Police from Suffolk and Gates County, N.C., and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms coordinated the purchase of a bulletproof vest and eight guns, including an assault rifle and two sawed-off shotguns, said city spokeswoman Debbie George. The sale wrapped up the two-month investigation into burglaries and stolen firearms in Suffolk and several counties in northeastern North Carolina.

A contingent of nearly 40 law enforcement officers from various agencies conducted simultaneous raids at four Gates County, N.C., residences late Wednesday afternoon. The raids in Gates County were conducted at residences on US 13 North, NC 37 in Gates, and on Sarem and Hackney roads.

Robert M. Paris, 24, of Gates, N.C., is charged with possession of a firearm by a felon, possession of a sawed off shotgun and conspiracy to commit a felony.

Rashawn Goodman, 20, of Gates, is charged with possession of firearm by felon, receiving stolen property, sale of stolen guns, two counts of conspiracy to commit a felony and possession of marijuana with intent to distribute.

Dominique Wilkins, 18, of Gates N.C., is charged with numerous federal charges by the ATF. Anton Harrison, 29, of Gates, charged with possession of a bulletproof vest, and conspiracy to commit a felony.

Gates County Sheriff Webb said the raids in his county, as well as the Suffolk arrests, were all connected to a series of weapons thefts. Those thefts have occurred in Gates County, Hertford County and Pasquotank County as well as in Suffolk, Va. Pistols, shotguns, high-powered hunting rifles and civilian model assault weapons appeared to be popular among the thieves.

“This has been an ongoing investigation for the past six months,” Webb said. “We have been working closely with the Suffolk Police on this as well as the federal ATF (Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms) folks.”

Webb said other arrests are pending. He added that the investigation revealed that the weapons stolen in Gates County were altered by scratching off the serial numbers and then entering them into the illegal gun trade market. Most of those weapons found their way into Virginia, according to the Sheriff.

“From there we believe these weapons have made their way up into the New Jersey and New York area,” Webb said.

At 4 p.m. Wednesday afternoon, a small army of law enforcement officers gathered at the Hertford County Emergency Management office near Winton to map out their final strategy before making the raids. There, Sheriff Webb issued a warning to those gathered to “be very careful because these guys we’re after are armed.”

Webb added that those being sought for the rash of thefts all have federal and state (North Carolina and Virginia) felony warrants filed against them.

Dividing into four, eight-person teams (plus a fifth squad as back-up), the raids in Gates County went off without major incident. There was a pit bull shot and killed by officers after they entered a residence at 946 NC 37 in Gates.

“Upon entering that residence, the officers were confronted by a pit bull,” Webb said. “After a verbal command failed to scare off the dog, one shot was fired (apparently in the floor) in an effort to frighten the dog, but the dog continued to advance towards the officers in a threatening manner so there was no other recourse than to shoot the animal.”

Several other dogs were safely removed from that residence.

Joining the Gates County Sheriff’s Office were lawmen representing the Ahoskie Police Department, Chowan County Sheriff’s Office, Perquimans County Sheriff’s Office, ATF, ALE, Gates County Probation and Parole, NC Wildlife and NC Highway Patrol.

“Our main focus here was to work this case where the stolen weapons were crossing state lines,” said ATF Resident Agent in Charge Teresa Merhige. “This was a well-orchestrated raid…the timing was perfect. This says a lot about how well the different agencies can come together as one.”

Calvin Bryant is the editor of the Roanoke-Chowan News-Herald, the News-Herald’s sister paper in Ahoskie, N.C.

Suffolk News-Herald staff writer Allison T. Williams contributed to this report.

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