FROM STAFF REPORTS

Five suspects face an assortment of charges following an Iredell County Sheriff’s Office investigation that began with a report about the theft of an all-terrain vehicle.

ICSO deputies began started investigating on January 2 after receiving a report about the theft of a 2019 Honda ATV and the attempted theft of a 2020 Honda ATV from the Olin Turf Farm located near Tomlin Mill Road, Campbell said.

This case, along with thefts from other businesses in the area, were assigned to Criminal Investigative Division detectives. The detectives quickly saw similarities in the cases which led the detectives to determine a number of suspects residing in close proximity to the crime scenes were involved, according to the news release

On February 11, patrol deputies received information about the location of a stolen motor vehicle, Campbell said. Deputies responded to a residence located at 694 Turnersburg Highway.

After arriving at the residence, deputies noticed a 1982 Jeep Scrambler sitting in the driveway. The vehicle matched the description of a Jeep that had been stolen from Doosan Portable Power on January 17, Campbell said.

While at the home, deputies located Christopher Gage Handy at the residence. Handy claimed ownership of the Jeep, saying he had recently purchased it, according to the news release. Upon closer examination of the Jeep, deputies determined the vehicle had been recently spray painted black, and the original Vehicle Identification Number had been removed, and altered, the sheriff said. The vehicle was seized from the location.

On February 20, deputies received about an occupied suspicious vehicle in front of a barn on Lundy Road, according to the news release. Deputies responded to the location and found a 1992 Ford Explorer displaying a fictitious license plate, Campbell said.

The occupants of the vehicle were identified as Lane Alexander Perry and Chelsea Nicole Millsaps, according to the news release. Deputies learned Perry had an an outstanding Order for Arrest for failure to appear on a misdemeanor larceny charge in Rowan County.

Information was obtained from Millsaps about the two residing at 340 Lundy Road. The vehicle was searched, and the deputies located methamphetamine along with items of drug paraphernalia, Campbell said. Perry and Millsaps were taken into custody.

On February 23, ICSO detectives along with deputies assigned to the Warrant Squad went to 340 Lundy Road to serve an Order for Arrest on Jonathan Ray Lowman, the owner of the residence, for failure to appear on a violation of a Domestic Violence Protective Order, acccording to the news release.

While traveling to 340 Lundy Road, ICSO personnel also learned that Christopher Gage Handy, who was wanted for larceny of a motor vehicle and altering a Vehicle Identification Number was also living at the residence, Campbell said.

When detectives arrived at the Lundy Road address, Handy was located hiding in the attic of the home in close proximity to a loaded AK-47-style assault rifle, according to the news release.

Lowman was also found hiding in another area of the attic next to Jody Randall Swaim, the sheriff said. Swaim had numerous felony arrest warrants for absconding from probation in January 2021.

After Lowman, Handy, and Swaim were taken into custody for the outstanding warrants, detectives observed several items matching stolen property descriptions from several recent larceny reports from the area along with numerous items of drug paraphernalia, Campbell said.

The two detectives secured the residence and applied for a search warrant of the residence.

The 2019 Honda Rancher ATV stolen from Olin Turf Farm in January was located at the residence, Campbell said. The ATV had been spray painted different colors and all of its identifying number had been ground off, according to the news release.

Lowman and Swaim were later identified as the suspects who stole the ATV from Olin Turf Farm by surveillance photos, Campbell said.

This investigation is still ongoing and further charges are pending upon identification of property seized from 340 Lundy Road.

Suspects

Lane Alexander Perry, 26, of 115 West Liberty Street, Salisbury
CHARGES: Felony Possession of Methamphetamine; Failure to Appear
BOND: $11,000
CRIMINAL HISTORY: Four Counts of Misdemeanor Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, Two Counts of Consume Alcohol Under 21 Years of Age, DWI Level 5, Driving After Consuming Alcohol, Three Counts of Driving While License Revoked, Two Counts of Misdemeanor Larceny, Misdemeanor Interfere with an Electronic Monitoring Device, Felony Larceny of a Firearm, Felony Possession of a Stolen Firearm, Felony Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon.

Chelsea Nicole Millsaps, 30, OF 180 Lundy Road, Statesville
CHARGES: Felony Possession of Methamphetamine; Misdemeanor Possession of Drug Paraphernalia
BOND: $10,000
CRIMINAL HISTORY: Misdemeanor Possession of a Schedule VI Substance, Felony Break or Enter a Motor Vehicle, Fictitious Information to an Officer, Five Counts of Misdemeanor Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, Flee to Elude Arrest with a Motor Vehicle, DWI Level 1, Four Counts of Misdemeanor Larceny, Misdemeanor Second Degree Trespassing.

Jody Randall Swaim, 37, of 340 Lundy Road, Statesville
CHARGES: Felony Larceny; Felony Attempted Felony Larceny; Felony Conspire to Commit Felony Larceny; Outstanding Probation Violations
BOND: $75,000
CRIMINAL HISTORY: Misdemeanor Resisting a Public Officer, Three Counts of Misdemeanor Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, Two Counts of DWI Level 5, Two Counts of Misdemeanor Larceny, Felony Possession with Intent to Sell or Deliver a Schedule IV Controlled Substance, Felony Possession with Intent to Sell or Deliver a Schedule II Controlled Substance, Fictitious Information to an Officer, Felony Possession of a Methamphetamine Precursor, Misdemeanor Assault Inflicting Serious Injury.

Christopher Gage Handy, 24, of 694 Turnersburg Highway, Statesville
CHARGES: Felony Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon; Felony Larceny of Motor Vehicle Parts; Felony Larceny of a Motor Vehicle; Felony Attempted Felony Larceny; Felony Altering a Motor Vehicle Identification Number
BOND: $45,000
CRIMINAL CHARGES: Misdemeanor Injury to Personal Property, Two Counts of Misdemeanor Larceny, Misdemeanor Carrying a Concealed Weapon, Misdemeanor Possession of Marijuana, Four Counts of Felony Larceny After Breaking or Entering, Felony Possession or Controlled Substance in a Jail or Prison, Two Counts of Felony Possession of Methamphetamine, Felony Sell or Deliver a Schedule II Controlled Substance, Felony Interfere with a Jail or Prison Fire Suppression System, Felony Larceny of a Firearm.

Jonathan Ray Lowman, 36, of 340 Lundy Road, Statesville
CHARGES: Felony Possession of Heroin; Misdemeanor Possession of Drug Paraphernalia; Failure to Appear Violation of a Domestic Violence Protective Order
BOND: $378 cash bond and $75,000 secured bond
CRIMINAL HISTORY: Misdemeanor Possession of an Alcoholic Beverage Under 21 Years of Age, Two Counts of Misdemeanor Domestic Violence Protection Order Violation