Hamlet - The Hamlet Police Department recently made arrests as direct results of vigilance and astute detection.
The first arrest was precipitated by a call from a vigilant father.
Jerry Wayne Patterson, 66, of Wellington Drive was arrested by the HPD on Tuesday, September 25, and charged with five counts of indecent liberties with a child.
The victims were ages 5 and 9 at the time of the alleged incidents.
Patterson was taken to the Richmond County Jail and placed under a $125,000 secured bond. His court date is October 11.
On Wednesday, September 26, Brandon Wesley Perhealth was served with a warrant out of Robeson County for communicating threats on or about September 13.
As HPD officers were serving the warrant, cocaine and Percocet were found at the residence.
Perhealth was consequently charged with:
Possession of cocaine, 1 count;
Possession of Schedule II controlled substance, 1 count; and
Communicating threats, 1 count.
Perhealth, who had been arrested in March of last year for DWI in Scotland County, was transported to the Richmond County Detention Center and placed under a $2,000 secured bond.
His court date is October 11.
Another incident in which HPD officers were “rewarded” for paying attention to immediate circumstances occurred on Sunday, September 30.
Kwame Jackson of Pine Street was detected speeding through town. During the ensuing traffic stop, the HPD officer detected illicit drugs.
Jackson, 25, was consequently charged with intent to sell and/or distribute a controlled substance.
Jackson’s vehicle was impounded in accordance with associated drug laws.
All suspects are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
