ELLERBE — A man and woman are each facing felony drug charges following an investigation into “complaints concerning illegal activity” at a Dunn Street home.
After making “numerous” controlled purchases from the home, investigators with the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office Community Impact Team executed a search warrant on Friday, Dec. 2, according to a press release. The RCSO Special Response Team and investigators with the Rockingham Police Department’s Vice/Narcotics Unit assisted.
The release does not mention if any drugs were found in the home.
However, two people who lived in the home — 49-year-old Darrell Evans Little and 62-year-old Vanessa Colston Ingram — were arrested and charged.
Little is charged with: two counts of possession of a Schedule II controlled substance; two counts of possession with intent to manufacture, sell or deliver a Schedule II controlled substance; possession with intent to manufacture, sell or deliver a Schedule III controlled substance; possession with intent to manufacture, sell or deliver a Schedule IV controlled substance; possession with intent to manufacture, sell or deliver marijuana; maintaining a vehicle, dwelling or place for a controlled substance; simple possession of a Schedule IV controlled substance; and possession of drug paraphernalia.
Note: The press release lists an additional charge of simple possession of a Schedule III controlled substance. However, it is listed as simple possession of a Schedule II controlled substance in Richmond County Jail records and does not appear in online state court records associated with the case.
Jail and court records show Little is also facing a misdemeanor charge of assault and battery. As of Monday, he was still being held on a combined $175,500 secured bond ($500 on the assault charge) and is scheduled to appear in court to face the drug charges on Dec. 15 and for the assault charge Jan. 6, 2023.
Ingram is charged with: possession with intent to manufacture, sell or deliver cocaine; possession of cocaine; maintaining a vehicle, dwelling or place for a controlled substance; and possession of drug paraphernalia.
She was booked under a $20,000 secured bond and appears to have been released. Her court date is also scheduled for Dec. 15.
Online court records show Little was scheduled to appear in court Monday, Dec. 5 on 10 drug-related charges in Moore County from 2021: two counts of trafficking opium or heroin; two counts of trafficking in methamphetamine; possession of heroin; possession with intent to manufacture, sell or deliver heroin; possession of methamphetamine; possession with intent to manufacture, sell or deliver methamphetamine; maintaining a vehicle, dwelling or place for a controlled substance; possession of drug paraphernalia.
Records with the N.C. Department of Public Safety Division of Adult Correction show Little was first convicted in 1991 of possession with intent to sell a Schedule II controlled substance in Moore County.
In 1993, he was convicted in Richmond County of possession of a Schedule II controlled substance and served nearly 25 months in prison.
Little was convicted of felony larceny in 1994 and then of felony breaking and entering and selling a Schedule II controlled substance in 1995 and he served another 23 months behind bars.
Note: The offense dates listed in state records appear to have been while Little was serving his previous sentence (Feb. 16, 1993-March 7, 1995) and that he was free for 16 days before going back to prison on the ‘94 and ‘95 convictions on March 23, 1995.
Records show Little went back to prison in 1998 when his probation was revoked for a 1997 conviction on three counts of forgery and two counts of cheating property or services. He served less than nine months and was released later the same year.
Little was convicted in 2000 and received a suspended sentence on a felony larceny charge but served more than eight months for breaking and entering.
He went back to prison in 2004 when he was convicted of robbery with a dangerous weapon and being a habitual felon; and was released in late 2008.
Little’s most recent convictions were in 2012 for attempted assault inflicting serious bodily injury and felony breaking and entering. He was released in July 2014.
Records show Ingram served just more than a month in 2005 when her probation was revoked for a conviction on maintaining a place for a controlled substance the previous year.
In 2008, Ingram was convicted of delivering or selling a Schedule II controlled substance. Again her probation was revoked and she served six months.
All defendants facing criminal charges are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
