Crime In Charlotte, NC

William Gosier, 17, was found guilty and sentenced to serve 5 - 6 1/2 years in prison for an armed robbery offense he committed on January 22, 2007.

Police say the victim was working inside a home he was renovating on Rockwood Road when two young black males came inside and pointed handguns at him. They robbed him of his wallet and cash and fled in the neighborhood. Through the course of the investigation, a third suspect was also identified.

Gosier, then 16, and two juveniles, were located and arrested. Gosier was charged with armed robbery and conspiracy to commit armed robbery. On April 29, 2008, after only 1 hour of deliberation, a jury found William Gosier guilty on all counts. He had no prior record of convictions.

If you are a parent or guardian of a teenager, I suggest you take the time to check out your son or daughter's MySpace and other social networking accounts. You may be surprised at what you find out...

UPDATE: The board voted 6 to 1 against Commissioner Bill James' proposal to refer a "saggy pants" ban to a county committee for study. (Read More: WBTV- Charlotte Observer)

WBTV reported about a possible ban on saggy pants in Charlotte. City Leaders asking for an ordinance aren't concerned with extra big or baggy pants in general-- only those baggy pants that expose underwear or boxers.

Calling it the "Pull Em Up" ordinance, Mecklenburg County commissioner Bill James says he will suggest that the county and city health and safety committees recommend making "saggy pants" part of what's defined as indecent exposure. James will propose the ordinance at the commissioners meeting tonight.

The origin of saggy pants is up for debate, but many experts agree that it's an evolution of ill-fitting prison garb. Since belts are banned in jail and uniforms aren't tailor-made, pants would sag. It is believed former inmates brought the fashion to the streets and the sagging phenomenon was born.

Cities with Saggy Pants Ordinances:
* Shreveport & Alexandria, LA: Ordinance allows some sag, but 3 inches or more can bring a fine of $25 to $200 and a requirement for community service.
* Hawkinsville, GA: The ordinance states it is 'unlawful for any person to appear in any public place or in view of the public wearing pants or shorts below the waist, which expose the skin or undergarments.' The penalty is a $250 fine and 40 hours of community service.
* Delcambre, LA: Ordinance states: Wearing pants low enough to show boxers or buttocks can result in six months jail time and a $500 fine.

Cities Considering Banning Saggy Pants: Trenton, NJ, Atlanta, GA, Dallas, TX, Stratford, CT, Stantonsburg, NC, Duncan, OK, Pine Bluff, AR, Opa-Locka City, FL, Baltimore, MD, Jamaica

It's been a while since I've looked at MySpace to see what Charlotte's teen thugs are up to. Once again, it wasn't hard to find 'new' photos of Charlotte teens flashing guns, gang signs, drugs, etc.

My favorite is 18-year old Joshua Fletcher's MySpace page. Fletcher isn't the sharpest tack in town. He posts photos of guns, drugs, booze, money, posing with police cars and he even includes road signs he's shot up. Here is the kicker... he isn't trying to hide anything-- his last photo is that of his NC drivers license. Of course, Fletcher has an arrest record.

Other notable finds: Photo of a thug posing on the 'Hidden Valley' community sign with his ankle bracelet in plain sight. Video showing off guns and drugs, several teens calling themselves 'thugs'... photos of their parent's mugshots, etc. Enjoy the show!

The NAACP is seeking an apology from Charlotte's Mayor Pat McCrory for a statement he made in a letter to city manager Curt Walton regarding the 4th of July. McCrory wrote, "...Too many of our youth, primarily African American, are imitating and/or participating in a gangster type of dress, attitude, behavior and action..."

Am I missing something here? Why is the NAACP upset with McCrory? As far as I am concerned, Mayor McCrory hit the nail on the head. If you take a look at juvenile crime in Charlotte... it IS the African-American males who are the majority of the offenders and most of them do dress like gangsters!

Is the NAACP going to continue to criticize McCrory or will they take action to help the struggling youth in this city? I think we need less talk and more action... More @ Observer

Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police are strictly enforcing Charlotte-Mecklenburg's Youth Protection Ordinance (aka) curfew this summer. The curfew is for kids/teens under the age of 16. The curfew is valid in both the City of Charlotte and unincorporated Mecklenburg County. (More Info)

* Curfew Hours *
Sunday to Thursday: 11:00pm - 6:00am
Friday & Saturday: 12:01am - 6:00am

* Restricted Areas *
Any public place or any place that is generally open to and used by the public; streets, sidewalks, highways, alleys, public vehicular areas and parking lots, transportation facilities, theaters, restaurants, schools and school grounds, playgrounds, parks, and other common areas open to or accessible to the public.

* Offenses *
(1) A juvenile commits an offense by being present in or remaining in any public place or on the premises of any establishment within the city during the restricted hours.
(2) A parent or guardian of a juvenile commits an offense if he/she knowingly permits or allows the juvenile to remain in any public place during the restricted hours.
(3) The owner, operator, or an employee of an establishment commits an offense if he/she knowingly allows a juvenile to remain upon the premises of the establishment during the restricted hours.
(4) It is a violation of the ordinance for any person 16 years of age or older to aid or abet a juvenile in being present or remaining in a public place within the city during the restricted hours.
(5) It is a violation of the ordinance for a parent or guardian to refuse to take custody during the restricted hours. (Certain exceptions exist for juveniles in a public place during the restricted hours which are set out in the ordinance.)

* Penalties *
(1) A juvenile who violates any provision of the ordinance is subject to being adjudicated delinquent.
(2) Any parent/guardian or other person who violates the ordinance shall be guilty of a misdemeanor.

UPDATE II: 5-16-07: Matthew Ray Bolick was sentenced yesterday for charges of providing alochol to minors. A judge sentenced Bolick to one year of probation and deferred prosecution.

UPDATE: 3-25-07 Bethany McSwain was found on the campus of UNC-Charlotte. UNCC Police located McSwain and notified CMPD. Police say her mother has been contacted and she will take custody of her daughter. McSwain was found with an 18-year old named Lauren Hilderth, who is not a UNCC student. Hilderth was arrested for contributing to the delinquency of a minor. Police are still investigating.

Last night, police arrested 39-year old Matthew Ray Bolick. He is charged with three counts of contributing to the delinquency of a minor and four counts of giving/selling alcohol.

Bolick is the head of security at a downtown club called 'Forum.' He was arrested after he allowed minors to drink inside the club, knowing they were underage. In addition, police say he took three teen girls to his home and gave them drinks.

One of the girls, 15-year old Bethany McSwain, posted photos of herself on her MySpace page drinking at the club. He mother saw the photos and contacted police. On Wednesday, police went to the club and arrested McSwain and two other teenage girls for drinking underage. The girls are ages 14, 15 & 16.

Two days after her arrest, Bethany McSwain disappeared. Police believe she left on her own, however, she is considered missing. If you have any information on the whereabouts of Bethany McSwain, please call 911 or Crime Stoppers at 704-334-1600.

A 15-year old boy stole his father's van this afternoon to go on a joyride and ended up destroying a house and getting arrested. The incident started shortly before 4:30pm when the teen was speeding down the road was nearly T-boned at an intersection by a bus.

The teen swerved to avoid crashing into the bus and lost control of the car, struck an above-ground electrical meter box and then hit a home on Fox Point Drive. The van crashed into the garage of the home and it burst into flames spreading fire rapidly throughout the house.

The teenager driving the van was unharmed and ran from the scene. He was later captured by police and arrested. Thankfully, no one was home at the time of the accident because the entire house is destroyed. The following photos were taken by WCNC:

Geraldo featured the Charlotte Teen Youtube video on the FOX News 'At-Large' show tonight.

Imagine my surprise to see the video of the two Charlotte brothers I posted about on this site weeks ago!

As far as I know, the full video and information about the teen brothers isn't posted anywhere else on the internet except here at crimeincharlotte.com.

I was excited so I couldn't resist grabbing my camera to take a picture of the TV...
-More Pics-

Two eighth grade students were arrested today at Northridge Middle School after CMS officials found a gun in one of the students bookbags.

According to school officials, a student saw the gun on the bus and reported the incident to school officials. Two students were arrested because they swapped the gun in the bathroom.

The students who were arrested could be suspended for a year according to CMS' zero tolerance policy. The students are due a hearing to determine if they should be suspended. Source: Charlotte Observer

Montrez Benjamin Williams, 16, was arrested early this morning and charged with robbery using a dangerous weapon and assault with a gun.

Police say Montrez Williams pistol whipped a 13-year old boy and stole his moped around 10:00 last night. The 13-year old victim suffered minor injuries.

Montrez is a student at West Mecklenburg High School and turned 16 in August. His bond is set at $28,000.

The following video was published on youtube (in public view) by a 14-year old teen and his 10-year old brother. In the video, the two boys are showing off their guns and have some very interesting things to say... * Rated 'R' for language * Link to Video

Link to Video

Some Charlotte teenagers kept CMPD busy this weekend. Check out the 16 year old re-offenders...

Name : BYRUM, CHRISTOPHER GENE
- 16 Years Old-
- 3rd arrest since Sept.- Larceny & drug charges
- View Chris' MySpace page
* C/S-SCH VI- POSSESS MARIJUANA

An area high school is under extra security after an early-morning fight sent one person to the hospital and six kids to jail. The fight happened at Butler High School before school started this morning.

School officials told Eyewitness News the fight started as a verbal argument between two girls. The girls were separated and security guards were leading them out of the cafeteria. Officials said that's when the brother of one of the girls jumped in to try and free his sister from security. Authorities said that caused the girl, her brother and the guard to fall, injuring the girl.

During this commotion, officials said four of the girl's friends, all female, jumped in and tried to pull her and her brother away from the security guard. One girl involved in the original argument, her brother and four others were arrested. School officials said classes still started on time and there have been no more disturbances. Extra officers are patrolling the school grounds.

Matthews police officers arrested six students. Three of those students are under the age of 16. The other three students are Brianna Smith Hogan (Top Left), Samantha Tarlton (Right), and Sable Bennett (Lower Left) . According to CMS rules, the students should be suspended.

CMS officials said that as of Friday afternoon, they had handed out 1,669 suspensions in high school so far this school year. Since expulsion hearings take time, suspensions are a more accurate way to look at school discipline problems.

Charlotte-Mecklenburg police reported finding weapons at five different Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools campuses this week. On Tuesday, a student was caught with a box cutter at West Charlotte High School and a Lake Wylie Elementary student took a knife to school. Also on Tuesday a Coulwood Middle School student was found with a BB gun.

Another BB gun was found Wednesday at South Mecklenburg High and Thursday a student had a knife at Northeast Middle School. CMS officials say they're being proactive in trying to find weapons on school grounds by asking students to report anything they see or hear. They've also asked parents to check to see what their children are taking to school. - WSOC-TV


Name : JACKSON, DANIEL LAMONTE

- 16 years old

* POSSESSION OF WEAPON ON SCHOOL GROUNDS
* RESISTING PUBLIC OFFICER

Name : RILEY, DONTE JAMAR
-17 years old

* POSSESSION OF WEAPON ON SCHOOL GROUNDS








Name : CRUMPLER, MYSTI CHANTE
-16 years old
- Arrested in April for assault with a cutting instrument.

* DISORDERLY CONDUCT
* POSSESSION OF WEAPON ON SCHOOL GROUNDS
* CARRYING A CONCEALED WEAPON - CUTTING INSTRUMENT

Charlotte Mecklenburg Police arrested two teenagers in connection to a head-on collision involving a stolen vehicle. The accident happened on Tuckaseegee Road on Sunday morning around 1:30 a.m. Three people from the other car were taken to the hospital with non-life threatening injuries.

Eddie Jacobs (L) and Janay McCrorey (R) both 18, were charged with possession of a stolen vehicle and hit and run. Police said there are possibly two other suspects who ran from the scene. If you have any information, please contact CrimeStoppers at 704-334-1600. Source: WBTV

CMPD has made another arrest in the arson of a Charlotte Catholic High School van.

Officers said Adam Michael Krueger, 17, (R) helped three other people burn a van on school campus last Monday. They charged him with aiding and abetting the burning of personal property and aiding and abetting of malicious damage by use of an incendiary device.

He is the fourth suspect to be charged in the burning of the van at Catholic High School. Police have also charged two juveniles and one adult, John O'Brien, for setting that fire. Police said O'Brien also set a clubhouse on fire at the Waterford Square Apartments last Tuesday. Source: WCNC

Three teenagers who were cited for underage drinking at a party connected to a fatal, wrong-way accident in February were arrested again this past weekend.

Acting on a tip from residents, Alcohol Law Enforcement agents raided a gathering at a Quail Hollow condominium complex swimming pool.

Among those arrested were Ashton Wagstaff (Left) of Myers Park, Megan Kieley (Right) and Hannah Clark.

The three also were ticketed at the February party police say was attended by Brock Franklin, the Myers Park teen charged with two counts of second-degree murder in connection with a violent wrong-way crash on I-485 on the same night.

After the Quail Hollow raid, Kieley, Wagstaff and Clark were charged with underage possession of alcohol. Another teen, who was not at the February party, was charged with provisional driving while impaired. Agents said Kieley also was charged with possessing marijuana and drug paraphernalia. Kieley was also arrested in May in connection with a burglary at a Union County convenience store.

If you suspect someone is drinking alcohol and is underage, call 1-877-ALE-AGENT. Source: WCNC