47-year-old Jerry Grant Oxford, Jr., of Denver, N.C., was sentenced to an active prison term of five to seven years following his conviction for assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill inflicting serious injury during Catawba County Superior Court.

The Honorable Nathaniel J. Poovey, Superior Court Judge from Catawba County, imposed the sentence for Oxford following his guilty plea on Wednesday (October 3). The defendant will serve his sentence in custody of the North Carolina Division of Adult Corrections.

The crime occurred Aug. 25, 2017, around 8:40 p.m. when Oxford went to the Denver residence of the 36-year-old victim and fired a shot with a handgun that struck him in the head. The incident started when a female acquaintance of Oxford’s engaged in a verbal altercation with the victim and another subject at a local business that spilled over into the shooting.

Michael Hoyle led the investigation for the Catawba County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant District Attorney Kyle Smith prosecuted the case for the State.

49-year-old Stephen Eugene Carrigan and 49-year-old Laura Mary Nardone, both of the same Reno Lane, Troutman, address, were arrested by Iredell County Sheriff's Officers. Carrigan is charged with three felony counts apiece of trafficking heroin by sale, possession, and transport, along with one felony count of conspire to traffic heroin. Nardone is charged with two felony counts apiece of trafficking heroin by sale, possession, and transport, along with single felony counts of conspire to traffic heroin and possession with intent to sell or deliver heroin.

After receiving complaints from several citizens in the area of Reno Lane south of Troutman regarding suspects possibly selling drugs, the Iredell County Sheriff's Office Narcotics Investigation Unit was assigned to investigate the case. Detectives began surveillance in the area, and determined Stephen Carrigan was selling heroin and began an undercover operation.

According to a news release, undercover purchases of heroin were made from Carrigan. Once the purchase of heroin, was made, the undercover detective noticed that the heroin was greyish in color. The detective asked Carrigan about this, and he stated it was pure heroin.

Heroin in its pure state is either white or brown, not grey. A new drug called “Grey Death” which is heroin and fentanyl are mixed together and is being sold. This combination has been reported to be responsible for several overdoses and deaths across America. Fentanyl alone can cause death just by coming into contact with it.

Narcotics detectives purchased more than 70 grams of heroin, which they believe may be “Grey Death” with a street value of $14,020. Carrigan and Nardone were arrested following the sale of heroin to an undercover detective. They were each jailed under $600,000 secured bond. They are both scheduled to appear in District Court October 15.

Lincoln Co. Sheriff’s Detectives are asking for the public’s assistance in locating 42-year-old Reginald Aaron Ballard of Lincolnton. Ballard is accused of kidnapping a Lincoln County woman and forcing her to attempt to withdraw money from a local bank. He faces charges for felony first-degree kidnapping, felonious restraint, attempted robbery with a dangerous weapon, assault by pointing a gun and communicating threats.

On September 25, Ballard allegedly held the victim against her will and forced her to drive to a local bank and attempt to withdraw $5,000. The suspect was able to elude Officers as he fled on foot from an area near the intersection of Highway 150 and Highway 27 West.

Ballard is a white male, six feet tall, weighing 160 pounds. He has hazel eyes and brown hair, sometimes worn in a ponytail.

Anyone with information regarding the whereabouts of Reginald Aaron Ballard should call the Sheriff’s Office at 704-732-9050 or Lincoln County Communications at 704-735-8202.

32-year-old Terry Drew Warden II of Mission Drive in Lincolnton and 27-year-old Kimbra Leigh Hicks of Lee Cline Road in Conover, were arrested Wednesday (October 3) by Iredell County Sheriff's Officers. They're each charged with felony counts of trafficking methamphetamine by possession and transport, possession of meth, trafficking opium or heroin by possession and transport, possession with intent to sell and deliver schedule II controlled substance, maintaining a vehicle for a controlled substance, and possession with intent to sell or deliver marijuana.

The suspects are additionally charged with two misdemeanor counts of simple possession of schedule II controlled substance, and single misdemeanor counts of concealed gun after or while consuming, possession of marijuana paraphernalia, and possession of drug paraphernalia.

On Wednesday, Iredell County Sheriff’s Office Deputies were conducting a license checkpoint at the intersection of Perth Road and Autumn Leaf Road. At approximately 12:30 a.m., a black Volkswagen Jetta came to the checkpoint occupied by the suspects, Warden and Hicks. Hicks was unable to provide a driver’s license and was asked to pull to the side of the road to verify that she had a valid license.

While speaking with her, an officer detected a strong odor of alcohol coming from the inside of the vehicle. After further investigation a search of the vehicle was conducted. During the search deputies found 36.9 grams of Methamphetamine, 67.5 grams of Marijuana, 39 dosage units of Oxycodone Hydrochloride, Acetaminophen Hydrocodone, Adderall, multiple items of drug paraphernalia, a concealed handgun and $962 in U.S. currency.

Hicks and Warden were each issued a $150,000 secured bond. They both have District Court appearances scheduled for next Monday (October 8).