Lee Buchanan
editor@thefranklinpress.com
The search for a woman who fled custody outside the courthouse prompted authorities to check the homes of people they thought might be harboring her – and led to the arrests of 19 other suspects in the process.
Officers with the Macon County Sheriff’s Office, N.C. Department of Public Safety, the State Bureau of Investigation and the Department of Homeland Security were searching for Kaitlin Fitzgibbons, who had fled custody from outside the courthouse on Nov. 19. Fitzgibbons was recaptured Thursday, Nov. 21.
Authorities “conducted searches of residences, [initiated] traffic stops and executed search and arrest warrants resulting in the arrest of 19 individuals within Macon County for narcotics-related offenses and/or outstanding warrants,” according to a statement from the sheriff’s office. Three other suspects are still being sought.
The following suspects were arrested:
• James Homer Taylor, two counts of possession of firearm by felon, possession of a stolen firearm, sale/deliver heroin and maintaining a dwelling for use or sale of a controlled substance; $27,000 secured bond.
• Megan Thomas, sell/deliver heroin and maintaining a dwelling/place for use or sale of a controlled substance, $12,000 secured bond.
• Rita Lynn Webb, sell/deliver heroin; $10,000 secured bond.
• Crystal Ledbetter, possession of methamphetamine, possession of heroin, possession of Schedule 1 controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia, $7,000 secured bond.
• Thomas Spies, possession of methamphetamine, possession of heroin, possession of a Schedule 1 controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia; $7,000 secured bond.
• Ryan Finn, maintaining a dwelling/place for controlled substances; $3,000 secured bond.
• Rita Morgan, possession of methamphetamine and possession of drug paraphernalia; $3,500 secured bond.
• Byron Blue, possession of methamphetamine and possession of drug paraphernalia; $3,500 secured bond.
• Travis Zepeda, possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia; $3,500 secured bond.
• Dustin Hathcock, order for arrest contempt order, no bond.
• Ashley Vasallo, three counts failure to appear, $5,000 secured bond.
• Sheldon Bateman, four counts felony probation violation, $10,000 secured bond.
• Cameron Lee Holland, possession of methamphetamine, simple possession Schedule IV controlled substance, possession of drug paraphernalia and possession of marijuana.
• Melissa Sue Heard, possession of methamphetamine, possession of drug paraphernalia failure to appear, $3,500 secured bond.
• Donald Justus, two counts of failure to appear; $1,000 secured bond.
• George Bell, possession of heroin, simple possession of Schedule II controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia, $4,000 secured bond.
• Kaz Heaton, possession of firearm by felon, possession of methamphetamine and possession of drug paraphernalia, $13,000 secured bond.
• Kelly Walker, two counts of failure to appear, $1,000 secured bond.
• Melissa Barnes, possession of methamphetamine and possession of drug paraphernalia, $3,500 secured Bond.
Three suspects are still being sought:
• Reyna Garcilita, wanted for trafficking heroin and felony parole violations.
• Jeremy Sanders, two counts of trafficking heroin, sell/deliver heroin and two counts of maintaining a dwelling/place for controlled substances.
• Shawn Casey, sell/deliver heroin and maintaining a dwelling/place for controlled substances.