Executive Summary
- Kinston Police arrested five individuals following a raid on West Washington Avenue prompted by community complaints.
- Investigators seized over 315 grams of marijuana, 15 grams of cocaine, oxycodone, two handguns, and cash.
- The operation began with a traffic stop of a Raleigh man found with 115 grams of marijuana.
- Four adults face felony drug charges, with one facing an additional charge for firearm possession by a felon.
Five individuals were arrested and significant quantities of narcotics and firearms were seized on January 29 following a targeted operation by the Kinston Police Department’s Violent Crime Action Team. The raid, conducted on West Washington Avenue, was the culmination of an investigation initiated by community complaints regarding suspected criminal activity.
According to police reports, the operation began around 6:43 p.m. with a traffic stop involving 28-year-old Ran’dias Jacobs of Raleigh. Officers allege Jacobs was found in possession of approximately 115 grams of marijuana. He was subsequently taken into custody and charged with multiple offenses, including possession with intent to sell and deliver marijuana and felony maintaining a vehicle for controlled substances.
Following Jacobs’ arrest, detectives obtained a search warrant for a residence in the 1100 block of West Washington Avenue. Aided by the Kinston Police Department SWAT team, authorities executed the warrant and detained five subjects inside the home. The individuals were identified as 27-year-old Nicholas Edwards, 27-year-old Jadkis Fleming, 27-year-old Ricky Roach, 25-year-old Zi’Neir Bryant, and a 17-year-old juvenile.
During the search of the property, law enforcement officials reported seizing over 315 grams of marijuana, 15 grams of cocaine, oxycodone pills, drug paraphernalia, two handguns, and more than $3,000 in cash. The four adult suspects face numerous charges, including possession with intent to sell and deliver cocaine and marijuana, felony conspiracy, and felony maintaining a dwelling for controlled substances. Authorities noted that Edwards faces an additional charge of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
Police officials stated that the juvenile was released to the custody of a legal guardian, with detectives coordinating with Juvenile Justice to pursue appropriate petitions.
Community Safety and Procedural Impact
This operation highlights the critical role of community intelligence in directing law enforcement resources toward specific high-activity locations. By acting on residents’ concerns, the Violent Crime Action Team was able to escalate a traffic stop into a broader seizure of illicit assets, a common strategy in disrupting local narcotics distribution networks. As the investigation proceeds, the focus will likely shift to the prosecution phase and the potential tracing of the seized firearms. It is important to note that all individuals are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
