Sweetheart Scam costs resident dearly

An 84-year-old resident of Rowan County said he had been talking with someone he believed was a female for an extended period of time when, in the summer of 2024, she asked him to invest in gold purchases with her. Between Aug. 7, 2024 and Feb. 10, 2025, he sent her more than $110,000 toward the investment purchases before discovering it was a scam.

Sheriff Travis Allen said the man’s loss is “heartbreaking, but it serves as a reminder that if something seems too good to be true, it almost always is.”

Allen said online scammers target people who are lonely, and not only do people need to take care of themselves, but need to watch over older family members who are alone.

“The older generation is private,” he said. “These are people who did business on a handshake. And they also want to feel special. But if someone asks you for money, it’s a clear sign, the relationship is not what you think. And yes, losing the money is horrible and hard to take, but for a lot of these victims, the loss of what they believed was a relationship is even harder. These scammers? They go after the heart to get to the pocketbook.”

Rowan County Sheriff’s Office reports

• An assault by strangulation on Ashley Drive reportedly occurred about 11 pm. Feb. 12.

• A burglary of a motor vehicle on Hickory Wood Drive, Kannapolis reportedly occurred between 12:15 and 10:30 a.m. Feb. 12.

• A larceny from a business on Third Creek Church Road, Cleveland reportedly occurred between 11 p.m. Feb. 10 and 5 p.m. Feb. 12. The theft was reported Feb. 13.

• Property damage from vandalism on Wind Swept Way, Rockwell reportedly occurred between noon Oct. 31, 2024, and 1 p.m. Feb. 13.

• Larceny and property damage from vandalism on North Enochville Avenue, China Grove reportedly occurred between 4:30 and 5 p.m. Feb. 13.

• Property damage from vandalism on Karriker Road, Kannapolis reportedly occurred about 9:20 p.m. Feb. 13.

• A motor vehicle theft from Dappler Lane reportedly occurred about noon Feb. 8 and was reported Feb. 14.

• A larceny of an ATV from Zeb Street reportedly occurred between 4 and 6:30 p.m. Feb. 13 and was reported Feb. 14.

• Property damage due to vandalism on Sides Road reportedly occurred between 2:01 a.m. and 5:40 p.m. Feb. 14.

• A larceny from a building on U.S. Hwy. 52, Gold Hill, reportedly occurred between 8 a.m. Feb. 10 and 4 p.m. Feb. 14.

• Property damage due to vandalism on Village Creek Way reportedly occurred about 10:30 a.m. Feb. 15.

• Ryan Ashton Hall, 33, was charged Feb. 13 with assault on a law enforcement officer, resist/obstruct/delay of a public officer and four counts of failure to appear or comply.

• Elizabeth Ann Morton, 44, was charged Feb. 13 with failure to appear and frivolous prosecution.

• Nathan Thomas Gould, 26, was charged Feb. 13 with simple possession of schedule VI controlled substance and resist/obstruct/delay of a public officer.

• Carmen Martinez Blount-Flow, 65, was charged Feb. 13 with obstruction of justice common law.

• James Edward Alexander Jr., 59, was charged Feb. 13 with driving with a revoked license, carrying concealed weapons and carrying a concealed gun.

• Alexus Leigh Lancaster, 21, was charged Feb. 14 with failure to report a crime against a juvenile and contributing to the delinquency of a minor.

• Antwond Monitor Glenn, 27, was charged Feb. 14 with possession of a schedule II controlled substance, possession of a controlled substance on a penal institution premises, possession of up to 1/2 ounce of marijuana, and driving while license is revoked.

• Connie Torrabla Farrell, 65, was charged Feb. 14 with violation of a domestic violence act.

• Jamar LaPrince Butler, 41, was charged Feb. 14 with maintaining a dwelling or vehicle for controlled substance, possession of a controlled substance on a penal institution premises, possession of drug paraphernalia, misdemeanor flee to elude, following too closely, traveling left of center, trafficking in cocaine and trafficking in heroin or opium.

• Kayla Joan Sweely, 34, was charged Feb. 14 with larceny of a motor vehicle.

• Ronnie Paul Godbey, 60, was charged Feb. 15 with crime of domestic violence and simple assault.

Salisbury Police reports

• An assault with a knife on Mocksville Avenue reportedly occurred at 2:20 a.m. Feb. 14. The victim told police he and his wife were on their way home from an event and, while stopped at a red light, another male approached their car and asked for a cigarette. When neither of the people in the car had one, an argument allegedly ensued, and the victim told police he got out of the car and the assailant cut him with a knife. Injuries were not life threatening and the victim told police he did not know the assailant.

• A theft of a motor vehicle from East Kerr Street reportedly occurred between 11 a.m. Nov. 12, 2024, and 10 a.m. Feb. 12, 2025.

• Property damage from a hit and run on East Innes Street reportedly occurred about 10:40 a.m. Feb. 14.

• A theft of a utility trailer from Harrison Road reportedly occurred between 1:33 p.m. Feb. 11 and 11 a.m. Feb. 14.

• Shots were reportedly fired on West Corriher Avenue about 11:25 p.m. Feb. 15.

• Property damage on East Innes Street reportedly occurred about 12:15 p.m. Feb. 16.

• A burglary on Bringle Ferry Road reportedly occurred between 12:01 a.m. Dec. 1, 2024, and 2:20 p.m. Feb. 16.

• An assault on Laurel Pointe Circle reportedly occurred about 2:52 p.m. Feb. 16.

• Michael Laverne Kirksey, 65, was charged Feb. 14 with simple assault and misdemeanor simple assault and battery or affray.

• Phillip Clayton Howard, 35, was charged Feb. 16 with misdemeanor simple assault.

• Aquavius Robert Lee, 28, was charged Feb. 16 with misdemeanor larceny.