During a multi-week investigation, the Randolph County Sheriff’s Office Patrol Division investigated a multitude of larceny cases in the Trinity, Archdale, Thomasville, and High Point areas. During the investigation, deputies obtained additional information and evidence from citizens in those areas, identifying potential suspects that were involved in a theft ring of catalytic converters and copper. Additional information was provided indicating that a small U-Haul truck, rented locally, had been used in the larcenies and had been seen in the area where the crimes occurred. The lessee and operator of the truck was identified as Ricky Shawn Morris.
Deputies collected additional information through field interviews, identifying additional suspects that had been seen in the area during the times of the criminal activity. Those suspects were identified as Christopher Allen Bolling, James Vincent Kennedy, Jr., and Christopher Cole Lawson.
On March 9, 2022, Morris and the U-Haul truck were located at a residence on Beckerdite Rd. in Sophia. During a subsequent search, methamphetamine, paraphernalia, and burglary tools were located inside the cab of the truck. Deputies also located a utility dump trailer at the residence that had been reported stolen to the High Point Police Department. It was discovered that Morris was the suspect in the High Point Police investigation for the larceny of that trailer. Morris was placed under arrest and transported to the Randolph County Jail where the magistrate found probable cause for felony possession of methamphetamine, felony possession of burglary tools, felony possession of stolen motor vehicle, and misdemeanor possession of drug paraphernalia. He was given a $25,000 secured bond and court date for March 10, 2022, in Randolph County. He was also served with a warrant for arrest out of Guilford County (High Point) for the larceny of the utility trailer and was given an additional $10,000 secured bond and court date of March 11, 2022, in Guilford County.
The U-Haul was seized as evidence, and on Thursday, March 10th, a search warrant was obtained to search the remaining contents of the truck where multiple catalytic converters and other related burglary tools were located.
Deputies confirmed that the additional suspects were using an address on Eastward Ave. in High Point as the hub of their criminal activity. DART members were utilized to conduct ground surveillance on that residence as well as another potential residence on Bethel Drive. After obtaining additional evidence and information from the surveillance, a search warrant was obtained for the home on Eastward Ave. and arrest warrants were obtained for Christopher Allen Bolling, James Vincent Kennedy, Jr., and Christopher Cole Lawson in this matter for felony larceny of motor vehicle parts and felony possession of stolen goods/property.
At approximately 3 pm, on March 10, 2022, deputies from Adam, Charlie and David Patrol Teams, Urban Interdiction, DART, Canine Teams, and Crime Scene Investigators executed the search warrant. Six subjects were located inside the residence and detained. During the course of the search, multiple catalytic converters were located, multiple backpacks containing evidence of these crimes, suspected methamphetamines, and suspected heroin were also found inside the home. Bolling and Kennedy were located at the residence, placed under arrest and transported to the Randolph County Detention Center where they were served their warrants.
Christopher Allen Bolling: felony larceny of motor vehicle parts and felony possession of stolen goods/property. He received a $10,000 secured bond with a first appearance set for March 11, 2022, in Randolph County District Court. He was also served his outstanding Order for Arrest out of Forsyth County for failure to appear on a misdemeanor and issued a $1,000 secured bond with a first appearance set for April 12, 2022, in Forsyth.
James Vincent Kennedy, Jr.: felony larceny of motor vehicle parts and felony possession of stolen goods/property. He was issued a $10,000.00 secured bond and a first appearance was set for March 11, 2022, in Randolph County District Court.
On March 11, 2022:
Christopher Cole Lawson, while confined in the Guilford County Detention Center, was served his warrant for felony larceny of motor vehicle parts and felony possession of stolen goods/property and received a $500 secured bond from a Guilford County magistrate. A court date was set for April 25, 2022, in Randolph County District Court.
Following the execution of the search warrants, the additional evidence let to the following charges:
Morris was served additional warrants for three counts felony possession of stolen goods/property. He received an additional $5,000 secured bond. A first appearance was set for March 14, 2022, in Randolph County District Court.
Bolling was served additional warrants for three counts felony possession of stolen goods/property, felony possession of methamphetamine, felony possession of heroin, and felony possession of burglary tools. He received an additional $10,000 secured bond. A first appearance was set for March 14, 2022, in Randolph County District Court.
Kennedy was served additional warrants for three counts felony possession of stolen goods/property and felony possession of burglary tools. He received an additional $5,000 secured bond. A first appearance was set for March 14, 2022, in Randolph County District Court.
Additional Warrants for Arrest were issued for Christopher Cole Lawson for felony possession of burglary tools and three counts of felony possession of stolen goods/property but he had already bonded out in Guilford County.
On March 19, 2022:
Christopher Cole Lawson was located in Alamance County, arrested and served the warrants for felony possession of burglary tools and three counts of felony possession of stolen goods/property. He received a $1,000 secured bond and has a court date scheduled for April 25, 2022, in Randolph County District Court.
On March 25, 2022:
During the ongoing investigation, deputies obtained additional information and evidence that led to additional charges against suspects in the converter thefts in the area.
Morris, while confined at the Randolph County Detention Center, was served his additional warrants for felony attempted larceny, felony aid and abet to obtain property by false pretense and misdemeanor injury to personal property. He was given an additional $10,000 secured bond plus Electronic House Arrest.
Bolling, while confined at the Randolph County Detention Center, was served additional warrants for five counts felony obtain property by false pretense, three counts felony attempted larceny, seven counts felony larceny motor vehicle parts, felony larceny of motor vehicle, seven counts felony possession of stolen goods/property, misdemeanor possession of stolen goods/property, and three counts misdemeanor injury to personal property. He was given an additional $25,000 secured bond plus Electronic House Arrest and a first appearance was set for March 28, 2022, in Randolph County District Court.
Additional Warrants for Arrest were also issued for Kennedy for three counts felony attempted larceny, seven counts felony larceny motor vehicle parts, seven counts felony possession of stolen goods/property, and three counts misdemeanor injury to personal property.
On March 31, 2022
Kennedy was located by Thomasville Police Department, arrested and transported to the Davidson County Detention Center where he was served the outstanding warrants and orders for arrest for failure to appear. He was given an additional $25,000 secured bond and a first appearance was set for April 20, 2022, in Randolph County District Court.
The investigation is ongoing and additional charges may be forthcoming.
Name of Defendants:
Ricky Shawn Morris, 38
Charges:
Felony Possession of Methamphetamine
Felony Possession of Burglary Tools
Felony Possession of Stolen Motor Vehicle Misdemeanor Possession of Drug Paraphernalia
Three counts Felony Possession of Stolen Goods/Property
Felony Attempted Larceny
Felony Aid and Abet to Obtain Property by False Pretense
Misdemeanor Injury to Personal Property
Guilford County: Felony Larceny
Bond: $50,000 total secured bond plus EHA
Christopher Allen Bolling, 37
Charges:
Eight count Felony Larceny of Motor Vehicle Parts
Eleven counts Felony Possession of Stolen Goods/Property
Felony Possession of Methamphetamine
Felony Possession of Heroin
Felony Possession of Burglary Tools
Five counts Felony Obtain Property by False Pretense
Three counts Felony Attempted Larceny
Felony Larceny of Motor Vehicle
Misdemeanor Possession of Stolen Goods/Property
Three counts Misdemeanor Injury to Personal Property.
Order for Arrest out of Forsyth County for failure to appear on a misdemeanor
Bond:
$46,000 total secured bond plus EHA
James Vincent Kennedy, Jr., 28
Charges:
Eight Counts Felony Larceny of Motor Vehicle Parts
Eleven Counts Felony Possession of Stolen Goods/Property
Felony Possession of Burglary Tools
Three Counts Felony Attempted Larceny
Three Counts Misdemeanor Injury to personal Property
two Orders for Arrest for failure to appear
Bond:
$40,000 total secured bond
Christopher Cole Lawson, 35
Charges:
Felony Larceny of Motor Vehicle Parts
Four Felony Possession of Stolen Goods/Property
Felony Possession of Burglary Tools
Bond:
$1500 total secured bond