-Press Release, Office of District Attorney Mike Waters
Warrenton, NC – Marquis Davis pleaded guilty to Second Degree Murder and Assault with a Deadly Weapon with the Intent to Kill Inflicting Serious Injury, in the 2015 murder of Michael Pressley in Warren County. The acts occurred in the early morning hours of August 9, 2015, when six men from Oxford, including Michael Pressley and Jerry Henderson, traveled to the Connect 25 nightclub in Warren County.
As the six men were leaving Connect 25, they were fired upon by individuals traveling in a GMC Sierra truck driven by Marquis Davis and also occupied by Kadeem Grooms, Darren Alston and Montrell Davis. Michael Pressley, a passenger in a Chevy Tahoe, was shot and died as a result of his wounds. Jerry Henderson, the driver of the Chevy Tahoe, was shot in the back and was treated for his injuries at Maria Parham Hospital.
Senior Resident Superior Court Judge Henry W. Hight, Jr. sentenced Mr. Davis to 157-201 months active in the North Carolina Department of Adult Correction. This case was scheduled for trial the week of September 4, 2018, in Warren County Criminal Superior Court, however, the plea was entered in Vance County Criminal Case Management Court on Thursday, August 23, 2018. Darren Alston and Montrell Davis previously plead in the matter, and Kadeem Grooms was convicted by a Warren County jury of First Degree Murder and related charges during the week of April 30, 2018.
This matter was investigated by the Warren County Sheriff’s Office with the assistance of the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation.
https://wizs.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/Mike-Waters-2.jpg265504WIZS Staffhttps://wizs.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/wizswebsitelogoimage.pngWIZS Staff2018-08-24 16:58:212018-08-24 16:36:31Davis Pleads Guilty to Second Degree Murder of Pressley
Several members of the NC National Guard were on WIZS’ Town Talk program Thursday to discuss the requirements and process of becoming a “citizen-soldier” in the reserve branch of the U.S. Army.
According to Master Sergeant Key, a team leader out of the Raleigh/Cary area, the majority of young men and women who enlist in the National Guard serve in a reserve capacity consisting of service one weekend a month and annual training two weeks during the summer.
This schedule gives the recruit the flexibility to pursue college studies while receiving federal tuition assistance up to $4,000 per year. The Reserve Montgomery GI Bill will also pay approximately $373 per month to full-time college students.
Those who have already received a college degree may qualify for the student loan program for repayment up to $50,000 of total debt amount. They will also receive opos debt help along with the loan for easier repayments.
Potential recruits must pass an aptitude test, a physical and have limited law violations. Once passed, initial recruits participate in a Recruit Sustainment Program one weekend a month to prepare for success in the Army’s 10-week Basic Training.
The second phase of the initial training is referred to as Advanced Individual Training (AIT) and involves learning a specific job skill.
The National Guard is currently offering up to $20,000 in enlistment bonuses for specific jobs including transportation specialist, engineer, military police, artillery and supplies specialist.
Fully-trained soldiers in the National Guard have the distinction of being able to return to their own hometown to serve. “What is unique about the National Guard is that those that complete their training return to their own community where they serve in a traditional guard setting as a citizen-soldier,” said Key.
The National Guard has a dual-obligation to the state and to the Federal Government. “As far as the state mission, we could be called to respond to hurricanes, floods, other natural disasters and civil unrest. The governor could call us into action to support our local community and state,” Key said.
“The federal component is tied to the U.S. Army, if they needed assistance with missions overseas, they could call on the NC National Guard.”
Each state and U.S. territory has a National Guard, with the NC branch being 10,000 soldiers strong. For more information, please contact the local recruiter at (919) 622-1327 or visit the NC National Guard website.
https://wizs.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/wizs_0002_Layer-2.png265504Kelly Bonduranthttps://wizs.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/wizswebsitelogoimage.pngKelly Bondurant2018-08-23 17:00:542020-02-11 06:27:42NC National Guard Offers College Tuition & Loan Repayment Assistance
Randolph Wilson of Kittrell was re-elected president of Rebuilding Hope, Inc. (RHI).
Also re-elected were Bill Overby of Warrenton, secretary; and Walt Slaton of Oxford, treasurer. Overby also was elected to a second three-year term on the board of directors.
Vann Wester of Louisburg was elected vice president and to a first three-year term on the board.
Robert Burnett of Manson was elected to a first three-year term on the board, and Steve Timberlake of Oxford was elected to serve out the unexpired term of a board member who recently moved from the area.
The officers and directors took office August 14, 2018.
RHI, headquartered in Henderson, is a faith-based ministry that uses home repairs to meet physical needs and shares the love of Christ.
Randolph Wilson of Kittrell was recently re-elected president of Rebuilding Hope, Inc.
https://wizs.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/Randolph-Wilson.png265504WIZS Staffhttps://wizs.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/wizswebsitelogoimage.pngWIZS Staff2018-08-16 16:56:342018-08-22 10:05:20Wilson Re-Elected President of Rebuilding Hope, Inc.
The United States Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, Robert J. Higdon, Jr., announced that MICHAEL RANKINS, 55, of Edenton, was sentenced by United States District Judge Louise W. Flanagan for armed bank robbery and aiding and abetting. Judge Flanagan sentenced RANKINS to 135 months imprisonment followed by 5 years of supervised release.
RANKINS was charged in a one-count indictment on March 18, 2014, along with his co-defendant William Chadwick Twine. Twine pled guilty on July 9, 2014, and was sentenced on July 10, 2015, to 90 months imprisonment followed by five years of supervised release. RANKINS pled guilty on February 8, 2018.
On January 9, 2014, RANKINS and Twine entered a Wells Fargo Bank in Windsor, North Carolina. As he entered the bank, RANKINS pulled a toboggan over his face with eye holes cut out. He pointed a BB gun at the teller, and he and Twine threatened the teller and demanded money. The teller provided them with $10,465, and the two men ran from the bank to their nearby get-away car. Witnesses relayed to law enforcement the direction the suspects had driven, and officers were soon able to catch up to the suspect’s vehicle and attempt a traffic stop. RANKINS and Twine, however, continued to flee at a high speed, eventually losing control of the car and running off the road and into a field. Both men ran from the stopped car and were quickly apprehended. Officers recovered the stolen money, mask, and BB gun from the car.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. Attorney General Jeff Sessions reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent crime.
The investigation of this case was conducted by the Windsor Police Department, the North Carolina State Highway Patrol, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives (ATF). Assistant United States Attorney Jake D. Pugh represented the government in this case.
News releases are available on the U. S. Attorney’s webpage at www.usdoj.gov/usao/nce. Follow us on Twitter @USAO_EDNC
https://wizs.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/U.S.-Department-of-Justice.jpg265504WIZS Staffhttps://wizs.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/wizswebsitelogoimage.pngWIZS Staff2018-08-08 16:54:122018-08-08 16:01:23Edenton Man Sentenced for Armed Bank Robbery
The Henderson Rec Players will present “Clybourne Park” by Bruce Norris at the McGregor Hall Performing Arts Center nightly August 9-11 at 8 p.m. and August 12 at 2 p.m.
Winner of both the Pulitzer Prize and the Tony Award for Best Play, “Clybourne Park” is a satire about the politics of race that will be directed by Stephanie Asabi Howard. In response to Lorraine Hansberry’s “A Raisin in the Sun,” playwright Bruce Norris set up his work as a pair of scenes that bookend Hansberry’s piece and are set in the same modest bungalow on Chicago’s northwest side.
In 1959, Russ and Bev move out to the suburbs after the tragic death of their son. Inadvertently, they sell their house to the neighborhood’s first black family. Fifty years later in 2009, the roles are reversed when a young white couple buys the lot in what is now a predominantly black neighborhood, signaling a new wave of gentrification. In both instances, a community showdown takes place, pitting race against real estate with this home as the battleground.
Tickets are available for $16 at the McGregor Hall Box Office, 201 Breckenridge St. in Henderson, by calling (252) 598-0662 or visiting www.mcgregorhall.org. Doors open one hour before the show.
(This is not a paid advertisement)
https://wizs.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/McGregor-Hall-logo-2018.png265504WIZS Staffhttps://wizs.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/wizswebsitelogoimage.pngWIZS Staff2018-08-06 16:58:152018-08-06 16:29:26Henderson Rec Players Present ‘Clybourne Park’ at McGregor Hall, Aug. 9-12
Vance-Granville Community College will hold “Enrollment Day” on Wednesday, August 8, from 9 a.m. until 6 p.m. at its Main Campus between Henderson and Oxford.
VGCC staff members will be available during those hours to provide information on the enrollment process, academic programs and student support services, including financial aid. Advisors and academic coaches will be available to help students register for Fall classes. In addition, refreshments will be available for visitors who attend Enrollment Day.
The regular Fall Semester begins Monday, August 13, and a 12-week semester starts on Tuesday, September 11.
Cathy Davis, right, a counselor in VGCC’s Student Services, assists a Vance-Granville Community College student with registration on the college’s Main Campus. VGCC is offering an Enrollment Day for the Fall Semester on the college’s Main Campus on Wednesday, Aug. 8, from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. (VGCC Photo)
“Vance-Granville Community College offers more than 40 curriculum programs to help students earn certificates, diplomas and degrees in preparation for careers or transfer to a university for a four-year degree,” said Jeff Allen, VGCC’s dean of enrollment and outreach. “Enrollment Day is the perfect time to get ready for the new semester. We invite students to bring their parents with them to get more details on the enrollment process.”
Students attending Enrollment Day at the Main Campus will be able to register to attend classes at any of the college’s four campuses. VGCC’s Main Campus is located on Poplar Creek Road in Vance County (about midway between Henderson and Oxford) at the intersection with Interstate 85 (Exit 209). Vance-Granville also has campuses in southern Granville County, Franklin County and Warren County.
For more information on Enrollment Day, call (252) 738-3234 or visit Student Services in Building 8 on the Main Campus. Additional information about the upcoming semester is available at www.vgcc.edu/enroll2018.
https://wizs.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/VGCC-Cathy-Davis-2018.png265504WIZS Staffhttps://wizs.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/wizswebsitelogoimage.pngWIZS Staff2018-08-02 16:59:262018-08-02 16:03:39VGCC Offering Enrollment Day at Main Campus on Wed., Aug. 8
R&B legends “The Manhattans” featuring Henderson-native Gerald Alston bring their smooth sound with hits like “Kiss and Say Goodbye” and “Shining Star” to the McGregor Hall Performing Arts Center at 8 p.m. on Friday, August 3, 2018. The performance also features a pre-show meet and greet with Gerald Alston.
TICKETS ON SALE NOW
Tickets are $37.36* or $32.03* and price variation is dependent on the seat section of the theater. Tickets are not general admission, rather, seat selections are made in advance and are based on availability. See below for Meet & Greet Tickets.
Tickets can also be purchased at the Box Office located at McGregor Hall – 201 Breckenridge Street, Henderson, NC, or by calling the Box Office at (252) 598-0662. The Box Office is open Monday – Friday from 1:30 to 5:30 p.m. (closed on Holidays & Observances).
[SOLD OUT] MEET & GREET with GERALD ALSTON
Enhance your experience with PREMIUM MEET & GREET TICKETS that include front-row seats to the concert as well as admission to a private catered reception with Gerald Alston prior to the show at 6:30 p.m.
*Ticket prices include local & state sales tax. Additional fees are charged for online purchases.
(This is not a paid advertisement)
https://wizs.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/McGregor-Hall-logo-2018.png265504WIZS Staffhttps://wizs.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/wizswebsitelogoimage.pngWIZS Staff2018-08-01 16:59:502018-08-01 16:10:04R&B Legends “The Manhattans” to Perform at McGregor Hall
Robert J. Higdon, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, announces that CHRISTIAN GERALD DESGROUX, age 58, of Raleigh, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Terrence W. Boyle to 6 months imprisonment followed by 1 year of supervised release. On June 26, 2018, DESGROUX pled guilty to pretending to be a United States Army Lieutenant General in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 912.
On November 6, 2017, DESGROUX, while dressed in a military battle dress uniform (BDUs) with U.S. Army rank and insignia, disembarked a private helicopter that landed at the headquarters of Statistical Analysis Systems (SAS) located in Cary, North Carolina. SAS security officers approached DESGROUX who claimed that he was a Lieutenant General in the United States Army and was authorized by the President of the United States to land the helicopter there in order to pick up a female employee of SAS for a classified debriefing at Fort Bragg, North Carolina. After the female and the defendant entered the helicopter, they flew around the area, refueled at a local airport, and returned to SAS.
When questioned by law enforcement, the female stated she was unaware that DESGROUX would be picking her up via helicopter. She believed that although they were not in a romantic relationship, DESGROUX was trying to impress her by flying her around. Her understanding was she would be meeting with the defendant to assist with a design project, but she had no knowledge of DESGROUX’s claims of a debriefing or joint special assignment involving the U.S. President. An investigation revealed DESGROUX had never been in the U.S. military.
The case was investigated by the Department of Homeland Security and the Defense Criminal Investigative Service. Assistant United States Attorneys Jason Kellhofer and Eleanor Morales prosecuted the case for the government.
News releases are available on the U. S. Attorney’s web page at www.usdoj.gov/usao/nce. Follow us on Twitter @USAO_EDNC.
https://wizs.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/U.S.-Department-of-Justice.jpg265504WIZS Staffhttps://wizs.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/wizswebsitelogoimage.pngWIZS Staff2018-07-31 16:57:252018-07-31 16:44:39Man Sentenced for Pretending to be U.S. Army General
Seventeen new cadets graduated from the Basic Law Enforcement Training (BLET) program at Vance-Granville Community College in a ceremony held in the Civic Center on Main Campus. After passing the state certification exam, all are authorized to work in any law enforcement agency in North Carolina.
Honored during the May 15 ceremony in VGCC’s 106th BLET class were Tyima Barbara Johnson, William Gant Sipfle and Dylan Blake Wilson of the Henderson Police Department; Lauren Elizabeth Matthews and David Alan Watson of the Granville County Sheriff’s Department; Jonathan Cameron Burnette, Alan Gregory Mitchell and Devin Antonio Younger of the Oxford Police Department; Michael Patrick Burns and Torrance Danyel Terry of the Vance County Sheriff’s Department; Dontravious Marques Harrison, Darnell Anthony Powell and Kenneth Latrel Richardson of the Warren County Sheriff’s Office; Brice Anthony Warren of the Roxboro Police Department; Randy Dale Parrott of the Crabtree Special Police Department; and Margaret Alyssa Bailey and Brian Nicholas Vermilya, VGCC students.
Shown above are the latest graduates of the VGCC Basic Law Enforcement Training program with the program administrators: front row, from left, Andrea Hyson, VGCC Law Enforcement/BLET director and graduates William Douglas, Torrance Terry, Margaret Bailey, Michael Burns, Lauren Matthews, and VGCC Law Enforcement/BLET coordinator/instructor Glen Boyd: second row: graduates Tyima Johnson, Devin Younger, Johnathan Burnette, Alan Mitchell, Randy Parrott, Brian Vermilya, and Dylan Wilson; and back row, graduates Dontravious Harrison, Darnell Powell, Kenneth Richardson, David Watson, William Sipfle, and Brice Warren. (VGCC Photo)
Also recognized were graduates of VGCC’s 105th BLET class: William Furman Douglas of the Henderson Police Department; and Stephanie Paige Covell and Angel Rosemaria Tanner, VGCC students.
In his welcoming remarks, Dr. Levy Brown, VGCC’s vice president of academic affairs, applauded the graduates and thanked their families for providing support during the 16-week program. Dr. Brown expressed his appreciation to the faculty and staff who had instructed Class 106 and thanked the area law enforcement agencies who sponsor and hire the cadets.
“These cadets of Class 106 vary in age, background and experience, but they are united by their common desire to protect and serve their respective communities,” said Dr. Brown. “They now join the ranks of the 105 classes before them who have given this program its excellent reputation for preparing law enforcement professionals.”
Speaking as leader of the class, Cadet Devin Younger added his thanks to the instructors and introduced Capt. James Champion of Butner Public Safety, representing the instructors of the program, who was chosen by the cadets as the keynote speaker for the graduation.
“We cannot change the past, but we can affect the future,” Capt. Champion told the cadets. “One way we can affect the future is to maintain and protect our own integrity. Building trust with the community is fundamental to effective policing. Sound conduct by law enforcement officers such as yourself improves community interaction and enhances communications. No matter how much good you do, people will only remember the bad.”
Citing a variety of synonyms for the word “integrity” — honesty, honor, good characters, strong morals, among them — Capt. Champion said, “Integrity is doing the right thing even when no one is watching. Your personal choices in your life and in your career are the only things that can make you lose your integrity.”
“Please remember, it’s OK to fail,” he said. “When you make a mistake, admit to the mistake, learn from it and get better.”
Citing Proverbs 10:9, Capt. Champion concluded, “People with integrity walk securely, but whoever takes crooked paths will be found out.”
In recognition of National Police Week, May 13-19, and Peace Officers’ Memorial Day, being observed on the day of the cadets’ graduation, the Butner Public Safety captain led a moment of silence for 129 officers who were killed in the line of duty in 2017.
Glen Boyd, coordinator and instructor of Law Enforcement programs and BLET at VGCC, presented awards to several students. Lauren Matthews took home the Academic Achievement Award for having the top grade average in the written tests each cadet must pass. Torrance Terry earned the Physical Fitness Award for scoring highest in the various fitness tests the cadets undergo during physical training. David Watson won the “Top Gun” Award for having the highest accuracy score in firearms qualification.
Certificates were presented to the graduates by Andrea Hyson, the director of Law Enforcement programs and BLET at VGCC, and Boyd. Abidan Shah, pastor of Clearview Church, provided the invocation and the benediction for the ceremony.
For more information on the BLET program, contact Hyson at hysona@vgcc.edu.
