CMPD Apparently Hired Security Staff from former WackenNut Security

A security guard admitted to masturbating multiple times while working at the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Law Enforcement Center according to an affidavit published Sunday.

Austin Thomas, 24, has been charged with one count of indecent exposure and four counts of public masturbation. A police department employee on Saturday, Aug. 17, caught Thomas masturbating while he was sitting at front door to the headquarters, the affidavit said.

The front doors to the police headquarters are open to the public, and the inside of the building is visible from outside the glass doors.

That employee reported the situation to their supervisor, officials said. The alleged masturbation was reportedly caught on camera.

When confronted by detectives, Thomas stated that he was “just adjusting his shirt and that the zipper on his pants was down, so he zipped up his pants,” the affidavit reads. Once detectives told Thomas about the cameras, he reportedly backtracked and admitted to exposing himself and masturbating two to four other times while on the job.

Thomas said, “In the heat of the moment I didn’t think,” according to the affidavit.

Authorities said Thomas was employed as a security guard for one and a half months leading up to the incident. He first appeared in court on Monday, Aug. 19, and is scheduled to appear again for a disposition in December.

According to the arrest sheet:

On August 17, 2024, at approximately 2237 hrs while working as Security Guard for (Walden Security) at the Law Enforcement Center the suspect exposed his penis and masturbated while sitting at the front door. This area is open to the public and can also be seen from outside the glass doors. 

The victim (CMPD Employee) arrived for work and as she was walking up to the front glass doors, she observed the suspect exposing penis and masturbating from outside. When she entered the building, the suspect covered his penis, and she walked directly past him and directly upstairs where she immediately told her supervisor what she had seen. 

The cameras were reviewed, and the entire incident was captured on video. The suspect ended his shift and after being contacted by his employer voluntarily came back to the LEC where he also agreed to be interviewed by detectives. 

The suspect first advised he was just adjusting his shirt and that the zipper on his pants was down, so he zipped up his pants. He was advised of the cameras, and he then admitted to exposing his penis and masturbating at the front door near the x-ray machine. He stated "My thing was hard" and it gets very uncomfortable when its hard so "I Stroked my penis to get it soft." The suspect was asked if he realized what he did was crime and he advised he did and stated|, "In the heat of the moment didn't think." 

The suspect who has been employed as security guard for months also admitted to masturbating other times at the LEC while working as security guard Detectives reviewed camera footage and the suspect was also observed on August 09 2024 at 2130hrs, August 14, 2024. at 2220hrs and again on August 16,. 2024. at 2208hrs masturbating at the front desk located in the lobby and main entrance of the Law Enforcement Center The suspect was charged with count of Indecent Exposure and counts of Public Masturbation.

Thug on the Run

With 23 arrests and dozens of charges, why do Mecklenburg County Judges keep releasing this POS?

His two prior convictions for Speeding to Elude or Avoid Arrest and Assault on a Female resulted in probation. 

Local news is reporting it this way "A Charlotte man was arrested Friday afternoon after officers say he led police on a chase in a stolen vehicle through the Lake Norman area."

According to the Mooresville Police Department, officers responded around 4 p.m. to the area of Interstate 77 and U.S. 21. That’s where they made contact with a vehicle that reportedly had a driver with a felony warrant for his arrest. He was considered to be armed and dangerous, actively fleeing from officers. 

As the suspect vehicle, a black Ford Expedition, continued to flee, the offender allegedly struck a marked MPD patrol unit and a civilian vehicle, resulting in minor damage and no injuries. The pursuit continued south on I-77 into Mecklenburg County to the Sam Furr Road area. Officers deployed stop sticks, and the suspect vehicle became disabled. 

The offender, 24-year-old Victor Miguel Richardson, jumped and ran from the vehicle prior to being apprehended by a MPD K9. 

Officers say Richardson had an active warrant for felony larceny of a motor vehicle, and that the vehicle he was driving had also been reported stolen earlier in the day. 

Officers also linked him to an active MPD investigation for misdemeanor larceny. 

Richardson is in the custody of the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department and has pending charges for:

Felony Flee/Elude Arrest with a Motor Vehicle, 

No Operators License, and 

Larceny (result of MPD’s involvement). 

Well that's not the whole story. Even with all the prior arrests Mecklenburg DA again and again saw fit to dismiss the charges, even those where Richardson was charged with AWDW and other violent crimes. Crimes dating back to 2019. 

Many of those arrests are not reflected in the above mugshots.

Why is this happening? 23 Cases over four years with close to 100 charges and all but two were dismissed. Those resulted in minimal probation sentences.

Seriously there is no redemption for this man and we are lucky someone was not killed during yesterday's police chase. 

Another Black Teen Murdered

Charlotte's long list of teenage shooting victims sadly gained another name Aryan Jaswal age 17, Tuesday morning.

The 17-year-old black male was found shot to death Tuesday morning in a car in south Charlotte, according to the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department.

Shortly after 8 a.m., police executed a welfare check at Wynhollow Downs Lane in the upscale Cheswyck at Ballantyne Apartments in South Charlotte.

Cheswyck is located at the corner of Ballantyne Commons Parkway and Old Lancaster Highway just south of Pineville.

CMPD reports state that after a welfare check they found 17-year-old Aryan Jaswal inside of a car in the apartment complex. He had been shot multiple times and Medic declared the young man deceased. 

It’s not clear what led up to the shooting and police haven’t shared a description of any suspect or suspects.

Jaswal is the 22nd murder victim under the age of 20 shot to death in the last 12 months.

The sad list of other victims under 20:

Savion Rashaad Lockhart, age 17

Caleb Thompson, age 18

J’Karri Anderson, age 19

Quaveon Jeremiah Robinson, age 19

Lawahon Dwight Hutchinson, age 19

Johnie McClendon, age 14

Jah’Zir Elijah Jackson, age 18

Lonnie Mcconico Jr, age 18

Tzion Dae, age 16

Amir Kidd, age 15

Avyon Thomas, age 17

Daikwan Jedarren Deese, age 17

Melakah Corbette, age 17

Carter Jimenez, age 3

Jorden Anthony Wood, age 17

Fate Brannon, age 17

Kaleb L. Brown, age 17

Jonathan Miller, age 14

Belian Garcia Mejia, age 18

Marquez Alexander Summers, age 19

Rashaka Prince, age 18

Anyone with information is asked to call 704-432-TIPS and ask to speak directly to a homicide unit detective.

How screwed up are our Mecklenburg County Courts?

Well, you be “da judge”

On January 12, 2021, CMPD Officers attempted a traffic stop on a vehicle driven by Tyree Jamichael Knight. A pursuit followed, then an accident and the suspect Knight was taken into custody.

Knight was booked into the Mecklenburg County jail on January 13, 2021, on the charge of Felony Flee/Elude Arrest with a motor vehicle. 

He was released on zero bond after less than 24 hours in custody.

Then the wheels of justice began to turn:

On 01/13/2021 a Motion/Order to Continue was granted.

On 03/05/2021 a Motion/Order to Continue was granted.

On 06/24/2021 a Motion/Order to Continue was granted.

On 07/28/2021 a Motion/Order to Continue was granted.

On 09/01/2021 a Motion/Order to Continue was granted.

On 11/16/2021 a Motion/Order to Continue was granted.

On 02/15/2022 a Motion/Order to Continue was granted.

On 04/04/2022 a Motion/Order to Continue was granted.

On 07/11/2022 a Motion/Order to Continue was granted.

On 09/20/2022 a Motion/Order to Continue was granted.

On 01/23/2023 a Motion/Order to Continue was granted.

On 07/15/2024 the case was dismissed.

Never mind that during this time Knight was arrested nearly a dozen times by CMPD. 

The charges include, Larceny from a person, Weapon on Campus, Discharging a Weapon into Occupied Property, Discharging a Weapon into a Moving Vehicle, Possession, Carrying a Concealed Weapon, Resisting Arrest, and Conspiracy to Discharge a Firearm into an Occupied Dwelling.

Every one of these cases were dismissed.

Finally on July 24, 2024, Tyree Knight was convicted of Discharging a Firearm into Occupied Property and Larceny from a Person.

His sentence was just 36 months’ probation.

Then his luck turned. On August 1, 2024, just one week after being given the best break of his life, at around 2335, CMPD Officers responded in reference a shooting into occupied dwelling call for service.

Upon arrival in the area officers observed a Dodge Charger driving in the neighborhood without any lights on. Officers decided to maintain visual on the vehicle as it pulled into dead-end street and seemingly waited for Officers to leave area. 

Once the Officers were out of sight the vehicle drove away with Officers following at a distance while they maintained visual on the suspect vehicle until it entered a driveway a short distance away. The Dodge Charger was displaying a North Carolina tag, which came back registered to Tyree Knight.  While Officers were watching the vehicle, the suspect later determined to be Knight got out of the driver side and began walking towards the shooting scene. 

While the vehicle was unoccupied, Officers noticed a firearm in plain view underneath the passenger seat. The driver of the vehicle was determined to be a recently convicted felon on probation. 

Based on this probable cause Officers searched the vehicle which revealed that the firearm they saw under the seat was an Anderson Manufacturing AM15, serial #21039853. (AM-15 is an AR style rifle and is not cheap around $900.00 unmodified) There were no other occupants observed getting out of the vehicle once the defendant left the area.

Tyree Jamichael Knight is now charged with Felon in Possession of a Firearm, Shooting into an Occupied Building and violating the terms of his probation. He is currently being held on $250,000.00 secured bond. 

Cedar Update:

Mecklenburg DA Spencer Merriweather dropped the charges against Knight and Meck County Sheriff Garry McFadden released habitual felon Tyree Knight back onto Charlotte Streets at 11:44 PM Thursday August 22nd. 

 

Third Hispanic Male Charged In Shamrock Drive Murder

Yesterday Thursday, August 8, 2024 CMPD detectives arrested Jonathan Rivera, 20, for the attempted armed robbery and shooting of 3 people and the murder of Jose Octavio Cruz, age 57.

Rivera was transported to the Law Enforcement Center to speak to detectives. At the conclusion of the interview, Mr. Rivera was transferred into the custody of the Mecklenburg County Sheriff’s Office.

Jonathan Rivera, 20

And as with the two other suspects Kevin Jeremy Zetino, 19, and Adilio Cesar Garcia Lemus, 24, Rivera was also out on an unsecured bond having been released by the Mecklenburg County Sheriff's Office on July 23rd.

Rivera had been previously arrested on February 7th on B&E charges and released on zero bail hours later. Then he was arrested on June 23rd. Despite these arrests Rivera was released on no bail even though he had been charged with 24 felonies and had other outstanding prior charges. 

Charlotte Mecklenburg Police had previously charged both Kevin Jeremy Zetino, 19, and Adilio Cesar Garcia Lemus, 24 with Murder, Attempted Murder, Armed Robbery, Conspiracy to Commit Armed Robbery, First Degree Burglary, and Assault with a Deadly Weapon Intent to Kill or Inflict Serious Injury.

Cedar's Take:

First MCSO is terrible at recording hispanic names and identifying arrestees. Those pesky combination of surnames. Someone please tell Garry that Pérez- Quiñones is the last name not just Quiñones. In this case Rivera-Santos is the perps last name.

As in so many cases much of the MCSO data is conflicting or error prone.

No one can yet confirm his immigration status or if there is an outstanding ICE Detainer in effect.

But understand this Josh Stein and Garry McFadden's sanctuary city effort not to cooperate with the minimal efforts of ICE to protect our borders does nothing to protect law abiding citizens.

The number of hispanic arrestee in Mecklenburg County has exploded. As recently as four years ago you would be surprised to find one or two listed on the daily arrest blotter  

Two Charged With Murder Both With Ice Detainers Both Released Days Prior

You could not make this up it you tried. Two hispanic illegals both with ICE detainers were arrested by CMPD in July for violent offenses and both had active ICE detainers and both were released back on to Charlotte City Streets just days before shooting 3 people and killing Jose Octavio Cruz, age 57.

Kevin Jeremy Zetino, 19

Adilio Cesar Garcia Lemus, 24

Charlotte Mecklenburg Police have charged both Kevin Jeremy Zetino, 19, and Adilio Cesar Garcia Lemus, 24 with Murder, Attempted Murder, Armed Robbery, Conspiracy to Commit Armed Robbery, First Degree Burglary, and Assault with a Deadly Weapon Intent to Kill or Inflict Serious Injury.

Zetino had been arrested by CMPD on on December 11, 2023 charged with Possession of a stolen firearm, fleeing to elude arrest, possession of a stolen motor vehicle and resisting arrest. On December 14th he was released on a promise to appear under the pretrial release program.

Zetion was arrested again on June 18th charged with auto theft and released on an unsecured bond the next day. Then he was arrested on July 7th with a stolen vehicle and was released on July 27th on an unsecured bond, Less than a week later he murdered Jose Octavio Cruz and seriously wounded 3 others.

Each time Mecklenburg County Sheriff ignored the ICE Detainer on file.

Garcia-Lemus was arrested on July 26th on drug charges including possession of cocaine and drug paraphernalia and resisting arrest he was also released on July 27th on a low ($100) bail. He too had an active ICE Detainer according to sources.

Eleno Cervantes Illegal Immigrant Charged with Attempted Rape

An illegal immigrant has been charged after sexually assaulting a woman in a bathroom in southeast Charlotte, according to the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department.

Around 3:30 p.m. on Monday, July 29, officers responded to Mr. Tire Auto Service Centers on Monroe Road for reports of a sexual assault.

A 32-year-old woman said she was inside the bathroom when a man sexually assaulted her. Detectives quickly identified the suspect as 31-year-old Eleno Cervantes.

Eleno Cervantes Photo MCSO

He’s currently being held on a $250,000 bond for the charges of:

2nd-degree attempted rape

Sexual battery

1st-degree kidnapping

Assault on a female

He also has an outstanding ICE Detainer which Mecklenburg County Sherriff Garry McFadden refused to enforce.

According to CMPD PIO "great investigative work by CMPD’s Sexual Assault Unit in quickly identifying and arresting a suspect wanted in an attempted sexual assault.  On Tuesday, July 29, 2024, Providence Division officers responded to a sexual assault call for service in the 3300 block of Monroe Road.  Upon arrival, a female victim reported to officers that an unknown male suspect entered the bathroom while she was inside and attempted to sexually assault her.  Sexual Assault detectives were immediately notified and began to investigate this incident.  Detectives quickly developed a lead and identified Mr. Eleno Cervantes, 30, as a suspect in this case.  Officers located and arrested Mr. Cervantes without incident."

Charlotte "Ace" reporter Joe Bruno chased down the facts: "ICE tells me the agency filed a detainer on Eleno Cervantes-Juarez, a 31-year-old citizen and national of Mexico. He is accused of attempting to sexually assault a woman in Mr Tire in southeast Charlotte. Cervantes-Juarez was encountered by U.S. Border Patrol on Aug, 17, 2022, near Nogales Arizona after he unlawfully entered the United States".

Estimates of illegals living in the Carolinas range from 750,000 to more than 1 million. Most are hard working skilled and unskilled laborers. However more than 20,000 have found themselves in trouble with Law Enforcement in the last three years. 

Common arrests include DWI, Stolen Vehicles, Assault Drugs and Weapons charges. More than 1,000 have been arrested on more violent crimes including rape and murder. 

Within the immigrant community many crimes are not reported for fear of deportation or retaliation.