All in Crime

Pink Hill Man Sentenced to 6 ½ Years After Causing More Than $600 Million in Losses From Tobacco Smuggling and Tax Scheme

RALEIGH, N.C. – A Pink Hill man was sentenced Thursday to 78 months in prison for conspiring to commit money laundering and filing a false 2014 tax return, after he pled guilty to the charges on October 7, 2020.

According to court documents and other information presented in court, Phil Caprice Howard, age 55, arranged on at least 221 different occasions for cut-rag tobacco to be transported by trucks from Wilson, North Carolina to an area on or near the Akwesasne Mohawk Nation Reservation (“Akwesasne Reservation”) as part of a conspiracy to smuggle the tobacco into Canada without paying Canadian federal excise duties and provincial taxes.

Sheriff Ingram repeats request for armored vehicle, Commissioners approve unanimously

At Monday’s Lenoir County Commissioners meeting, Sheriff Ronnie Ingram requested an armored vehicle to replace the incapacitated 1981 model retired in 2018. Previous requests for funding for an armored vehicle were removed from the budget in 2019 and 2020. The Sheriff’s Office requested the purchase of a Lenco Bearcat G3 with a total cost of $313,286. The vehicle is projected to be in service for 20-25 years. With a Ford F-500 chassis, maintenance can be done locally. The cost of this armored vehicle is comparable to an average ambulance.

Kinston Police: Arrest made in shooting on Dixon Street

On March 10, 2021, Kinston Police officers responded to the 700 block of Dixon Street in reference to a shooting. Upon arrival, officers were notified a 26 year old male subject had been shot in the leg and transported himself to UNC-Lenoir Hospital where he was treated for his bullet wound and subsequently released.

Kinston Police Department: Arrest made in recent case of shots fired

On Wednesday, April 28, 2021 at 3:36 p.m., Kinston Police Officers heard gunshots in the area of 500 E. Shine St. Kinston, NC. Officers began searching the area when they received another call of shots fired in the area of Harvey and Raleigh St. Kinston, NC. Officers on the 500 block of E Shine St. located approximately 17 shell casings of various calibers. No shell casings were recovered in the area of Harvey and Raleigh St. Kinston, NC.

Lenoir County Sheriff's Office investigate 2nd shooting in La Grange

A shooting incident occurred this afternoon at approximately 4:45 p.m. on Promise Land Road in La Grange.

The investigation is ongoing at this time. Detectives and deputies are on scene interviewing witnesses and completing the crime scene investigation.

There was one victim as a result of the shooting. The victim was transported by Lenoir County EMS to an area hospital. Injuries are unknown, but the victim was alive when departing the scene.

If anyone has information about this incident, please call the Lenoir County Sheriff's Office at 252-559-6118 or Crimestoppers at 252-523-4444.