Twins charged last year with breaking into a church face new felony charges

Published 11:25 am Tuesday, March 19, 2019

By Shavonne Walker

shavonne.walker@salisburypost.com

KANNAPOLIS — Twins Christopher and Thomas Rudd, who were charged last year in a break-in at a Kannapolis church, now face felony charges and are accused of violating probation, Rowan County officials said.

On March 13, Rowan County sheriff’s deputies assisted probation officers with a warrantless search of the brothers’ home in the 7100 block of Unity Church Road. Officers went to the home about 9 a.m. after reports that the Rudds were in possession of items that were a violation of their probation terms.

Thomas Ray Rudd and Christopher Aaron Rudd, both 18, were each charged with misdemeanor possession of a controlled substance Schedule VI, misdemeanor possession of drug paraphernalia, felony probation violation and felony possession of a weapon by a felon.

Thomas Rudd remains in the Rowan County Detention Center under a $9,000 secured bond. Christopher Rudd remains in the county jail under a $14,500 secured bond.

Officers found a 12-gauge shotgun on top of a bed in the downstairs bedroom of Thomas Rudd and ammunition under the covers in that room. A bag of shotgun shells was found hidden in a crawlspace beside the bed.

Probation officers also found four bongs inside the home; a plastic piece that contained brown wax believed to be THC wax; and 28.7 grams of marijuana.

The probation officers searched Christopher Rudd’s room and found a clear jar with 18.5 grams of marijuana, scales and a prescription bottle that contained a box cutter, a pink straw, and a red and white marijuana grinder. According to officers, Christopher Rudd told them he had a small amount of THC wax. The jar of marijuana was found under the bed, while the scales and other paraphernalia were in plain sight.

In October, the brothers were accused of taking six Heineken beers and a bottle of wine from St. John the Baptizer Romanian Orthodox Church. In that incident, authorities said they left behind a lighter, three lottery scratch-off tickets and empty packages of CBD gummies, a candy containing a component found in marijuana.