A second suspect has been tied to a rash of break-ins and thefts in Sampson and Johnston counties.
On Tuesday, Sampson County Sheriff’s deputies located Dexture Shyheme Smith, 22, of 10315 Wake Robin Lane, Charlotte, at a Hobbton High School basketball game and took him into custody on outstanding warrants from Johnston County.
Deputies were aware of the outstanding warrants from Johnston and of pending warrants in Sampson County related a string of break-ins and thefts.
As of Wednesday, Smith has been charged with three counts of breaking and entering, two counts of larceny after breaking and entering and three counts of felony conspiracy, according to Sampson County Detention Center records. All of the charges reportedly stem from the Johnston County cases.
Smith’s bond was set at $85,000 secured.
Carlton DeWayne Bratten Jr., 25, was arrested last week on two dozen felony counts in connection with the rash of incidents in Sampson, as well as to some in Johnston County.
Earlier this week, authorities announced the arrest of Bratten stemming from the investigation into break-ins on five different roads across Sampson, as well as other thefts in Johnston. More charges are pending, Sheriff’s officials said at the time.
On Nov. 27, a breaking and entering was reported on Timothy Road where several gaming systems and other gaming items were reported stolen by the homeowner.
The homeowner recorded the serial numbers on their gaming system which allowed investigators to track the stolen items to GameStop. There, they were able to identify the suspect responsible for selling the items to the store, who was reportedly Bratten.
Bratten was ultimately charged Dec. 5 with nine counts of breaking and entering, eight counts of larceny after breaking and entering and eight counts of possession of stolen goods. He was placed in the Sampson County Detention Center under $75,000 secured bond.
Two days later, on Dec. 7, Bratten received three counts each of possession of firearm by felon and larceny of a firearm, all out of Johnston County. An additional bond of $100,000 was leveled on Bratten as a result of those out-of-county charges, jail records show.
Upon investigation, it was discovered the same suspect was responsible for selling other items that had been previously reported stolen from other break-ins in Sampson. This information was useful in aiding investigators in solving additional break-ins that were reported on Bonnetsville Road, Old Drag Strip Road, Panhandle Road, New Hope Church Road and Hobbton Highway.
A search warrant was conducted Dec. 5, at Bratten’s residence on Roseboro Highway, where additional stolen property was recovered, sheriff’s officials said.
Three stolen firearms were also recovered from Bratten’s vehicle, one of which was reported stolen out of Johnston County. That aided Johnston investigators in solving “numerous” reported break-ins that had occurred in that county, according to previous reports from Sampson authorities.