It took less than 10 minutes for former Newton Grove Police Chief Greg Warren to make his appearance in Sampson County Superior Court Wednesday.
Standing alongside his attorney Aden Wilkie, Warren never spoke, but looked ahead at Superior Court Judge Bob Roupe as his attorney and Donna Rainwater, special victims prosecutor for the N.C. Conferernce of District Attorneys, discussed particulars of the case, including the volume of discovery that was still being gathered.
Warren is facing charges of taking indecent liberties with a minor, peeping, and possession of images from peeping, along with the offenses of drug trafficking and possession of illegal firearms.
Wednesday’s discussion ended with a Nov. 2 administrative hearing date set.
According to court officials, an administrative hearing is usually used for case status updates, motions, and/or guilty pleas. Generally, anything but a jury trial, can be handled during an administrative meeting, those close to the case noted.
This was Warren’s third appearance in court. The other two were a first appearance just after his arrest on Jan. 7, where bond was denied by District Court Judge Robert Gilmore, and a second hearing, on Jan. 15, where District Court Judge Morgan Swinson set bond at $500,000. An additional $50,000 bond was added due to additional sex-related charges being leveled.
On Wednesday, Rainwater addressed the judge, asking for the admin hearing to be calendared. After tossing out a number of dates, some which conflicted with Wilkie’s trial schedule, court officials settled on Nov. 2
“Given the amount of discovery (regarding evidence) that needs to be shared, I think Nov. 2 “is good,” she told Roupe. Everyone concurred and the hearing date was set.
Warren was accompanied by his parents. They all sat outside the courtroom until just before the 2 p.m. start to the afternoon session, then filed in to take their seats until the defendant was called to the front to appear before Roupe.
After the hearing was set, Warren, now out on bond, left the courtroom, consulted with his attorney and then walked to the car and left in the same vehicle with his parents.
The former police chief was arrested on Jan. 7 , following a probe conducted by the State Bureau of Investigation, which led to seven charges being filed against him.
After authorities discovered an unregistered AR-15 rifle and opioids during a search of his residence later in the week, the drug and weapons charges were added to the sex-related charges.
Warren posted bail later in the year and was released under house arrest on April 14. He has been allowed by the courts to remain on house arrest until his next hearing in November.