Police bust scrap yard
wells................... green...................... ..........englert .................shields
Wednesday
Posted Aug 31, 2016 at 5:28 PM Updated Aug 31, 2016 at 5:28 PM
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By Adam Lawson [email protected]
Ranlo Police say a scrap metal yard acted as a front for criminal activity.
The agency executed a search warrant at Scrappy's Metal Recycling Center, located at 1820 Spencer Mountain Road, on Tuesday afternoon after detaining business owner Paul Charles Englert and his employees Jesse Vernon Wells and Scottie Lee Green.
There, Ranlo cops found 16 firearms, ammunition, anabolic steroids, mason jars of marijuana, crystal methamphetamine, drug paraphernalia and cash. Officers also initiated a buy-bust at the business and arrested former Scrappy's employee Robert Paul Shields for delivering a trafficking amount of hydrocone to Englert. A fifth man, Louie Richard Early, is expected to be charged when he is released from CaroMont Regional Medical Center for unrelated illness.
Officers used a stun grenade to disorient the latter two suspects.
"It is one of the larger (busts)," Capt. Jimmy Lunsford said. "Not the largest but one of the larger. What made it as big is he's running a business. We charged him with maintaining an enterprise for sale and delivery of narcotics."
Police seized both handguns and rifles, including a sniper rifle Chief T.S. Anderson said could be used to eliminate most opposition.
At least three of the handguns recovered appear to have been stolen during a June 2015 break-in at the Aim and Defend gun shop in Lowell.
Police did not make it known how much cash was seized or the street value of the drugs.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives has been called in to investigate the guns. The N.C. Department of Transportation License and Theft Bureau is looking into car titles found at the business.
For now, Englert, Wells and Green faces accusations of drug possession, possession of drug paraphernalia, possession with intent to sell or manufacture drugs, maintaining a dwelling for a controlled substance, simple drug possession and possession of marijuana.
Englert, 49, of 301 Windsong Drive, faces an additional count of trafficking heroin. He was arrested in February 2015 on charges of receiving stolen property but has no state conviction record. He was taken to Gaston County Jail on a $60,000 bond.
Wells, 25, of 431 Green Chapman Road, was arrested last year for possessing a small amount of marijuana. He received a $50,000 bond. Green, 31, of 1131 Freedom Mill Road, received probation 10 years ago on a larceny conviction. He's also being held on a $50,000 bond.
Shields, 37, is charged with trafficking heroin, maintaining a vehicle for a controlled substance, drug possession and driving with a revoked license. He has previous convictions for larceny, drug paraphernalia, speeding to elude arrest, driving with a revoked license, failing to heed to a siren, speeding, driving under the influence, possessing stolen goods and driving while impaired. He spent eight months in prison back in 2005, and is being held on $5,000 secured bond.
Early, 43, received probation in 2007 for two motor vehicle larceny counts and one count of larceny of a firearm.
You can reach Adam Lawson at 704-869-1842 and
wells................... green...................... ..........englert .................shields
Wednesday
Posted Aug 31, 2016 at 5:28 PM Updated Aug 31, 2016 at 5:28 PM
Share
By Adam Lawson [email protected]
Ranlo Police say a scrap metal yard acted as a front for criminal activity.
The agency executed a search warrant at Scrappy's Metal Recycling Center, located at 1820 Spencer Mountain Road, on Tuesday afternoon after detaining business owner Paul Charles Englert and his employees Jesse Vernon Wells and Scottie Lee Green.
There, Ranlo cops found 16 firearms, ammunition, anabolic steroids, mason jars of marijuana, crystal methamphetamine, drug paraphernalia and cash. Officers also initiated a buy-bust at the business and arrested former Scrappy's employee Robert Paul Shields for delivering a trafficking amount of hydrocone to Englert. A fifth man, Louie Richard Early, is expected to be charged when he is released from CaroMont Regional Medical Center for unrelated illness.
Officers used a stun grenade to disorient the latter two suspects.
"It is one of the larger (busts)," Capt. Jimmy Lunsford said. "Not the largest but one of the larger. What made it as big is he's running a business. We charged him with maintaining an enterprise for sale and delivery of narcotics."
Police seized both handguns and rifles, including a sniper rifle Chief T.S. Anderson said could be used to eliminate most opposition.
At least three of the handguns recovered appear to have been stolen during a June 2015 break-in at the Aim and Defend gun shop in Lowell.
Police did not make it known how much cash was seized or the street value of the drugs.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives has been called in to investigate the guns. The N.C. Department of Transportation License and Theft Bureau is looking into car titles found at the business.
For now, Englert, Wells and Green faces accusations of drug possession, possession of drug paraphernalia, possession with intent to sell or manufacture drugs, maintaining a dwelling for a controlled substance, simple drug possession and possession of marijuana.
Englert, 49, of 301 Windsong Drive, faces an additional count of trafficking heroin. He was arrested in February 2015 on charges of receiving stolen property but has no state conviction record. He was taken to Gaston County Jail on a $60,000 bond.
Wells, 25, of 431 Green Chapman Road, was arrested last year for possessing a small amount of marijuana. He received a $50,000 bond. Green, 31, of 1131 Freedom Mill Road, received probation 10 years ago on a larceny conviction. He's also being held on a $50,000 bond.
Shields, 37, is charged with trafficking heroin, maintaining a vehicle for a controlled substance, drug possession and driving with a revoked license. He has previous convictions for larceny, drug paraphernalia, speeding to elude arrest, driving with a revoked license, failing to heed to a siren, speeding, driving under the influence, possessing stolen goods and driving while impaired. He spent eight months in prison back in 2005, and is being held on $5,000 secured bond.
Early, 43, received probation in 2007 for two motor vehicle larceny counts and one count of larceny of a firearm.
You can reach Adam Lawson at 704-869-1842 and
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