According to the Stokes County Sheriff’s Department, law enforcement has arrested 18 year-old Steven Martin Haynes Jr. in connection with a kidnapping that occurred early Thursday morning.
The kidnapping occurred in Westfield. According to the charges placed on Haynes, he assaulted a woman, used a gun during the offense and kidnapped a juvenile victim. Haynes has been placed under a $150,000 secured bond.
The Stokes County Sheriff’s Office is being assisted in the investigation by the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation and the National Park Service.
Claims of “Killer Clown” sightings in Winston-Salem have made national headlines and made Winston-Salem one of the locations for a rash of recent claims from Greenville, South Carolina to one outrageous claim of a Greensboro man who claims to have pursued one of the these clowns with a machete. These sightings are similar to other incidents that seem to run in streaks resembling the “Killer Clown” sightings in Boston in 1981. Those sightings were never verified and, at least in Winston-Salem, the current sightings appear to be fabrications.
Since the two incidents that were reported on September 4th and September 5th the WSPD has continued to work diligently to locate the alleged suspect(s) in these cases or to even find proof that they existed in the first place. These investigative steps included intensive neighborhood canvasses as well as high visibility patrols in the areas where the sightings were reported as well as nearby areas where children are likely to be present. All of which cost tax-payer money and divert resources from real crimes. In addition, an emphasis was placed on conducting in-depth interviews with all witnesses and attempting to develop any other potential witnesses and/or leads to follow.
In the course of this investigation, WSPD investigators obtained video surveillance footage of the specific area of the September 4th sighting. Officers reviewed the portion of the footage covering the time frame of the reported sighting and also a period of time immediately before and after. The video surveillance did not reveal any individual dressed as a clown or anyone trying to lure children into the woods at this location.
To date, each report of the clown sightings provided to the Winston-Salem Police Department has been thoroughly investigated and according to the WSPD they have not been able to substantiate any sightings.
On Friday at 2:48am the WSPD received another call related to suspicious activity by an individual dressed in a clown costume in the area of the 1800 block of Salem Crest Lane. The caller, 24 year-old David Armstrong, reported that an individual dressed as a clown knocked on his window. Armstrong told police that he chased the clown until the subject ran into some nearby woods.
Officers conducted a thorough investigation into this incident. At the conclusion of this investigation, Armstrong admitted to fabricating the story. Armstrong was arrested and charged with Filing a False Police Report. Armstrong was placed into the Forsyth County Detention Center under $500.00 secured bond. His court date is set for September 12th. He is the first person arrested for filing a false report in any of the current “Killer Clown” sightings- none of which have produced even the most basic photo evidence that any of the events ever occurred. In an environment where almost everyone, including many children, have cell phones capable of shooting video and stills the lack of evidence thus far is damning.
Anyone with any information regarding this incident or similar crimes is asked to call the Winston-Salem Police Department at 336-773-7700 or Crime Stoppers at 336-727-2800. En Español: 336-728-3904.
Throughout the month of March 2016, the Special Investigation Unit with the WSPD conducted an Escort/Prostitution Sting throughout the city. This operation resulted in the arrests of nine suspects. Four of those arreated and charged were from Winston-Salem and the rest were from High Point, Thomasville, and Jonesville. Those arrested include:
25 year-old Katherine Olivia Mae Newsome, charged with Prostitution by Assignment and Solicitation for prostitution
28 year-old Ashley Nicole Nolan, charged with rostitution by Assignment Solicitation for prostitution
29 year-old Sabrina Prophet, charged with Prostitution by Assignment, Solicitation for prostitution, Possession of drug paraphernalia, Possession of Marijuana, Transport for Prostitution, Aid and Abet for Prostitution
26 year-old Monique Marie Bevan, charged with Aid and Abet for Prostitution Solicitation for prostitution
22 year-old Alvaro Alvarez Reyes, charged with Prostitution by Assignment Solicitation for prostitution
28 year-old Jennifer Brandy Nicole Steed, charged with Prostitution by Assignment Solicitation for prostitution
26 year-old Hazel Christine Murray, charged with Aid and Abet for Prostitution
31 year-old Michael Wayne Boyles, charged with Aid and Abet for Prostitution, Transport for Prostitution
47 year-old Suzanna Hipp, charged with Possession of drug paraphernalia Solicitation for prostitution
The Winston-Salem Police have reported that just before 10am on March 22, officers investigated an incident in the parking lot of Hanes Mall Blvd involving a physical altercation and the discharging of a firearm.
The incident began when a caretaker of a mentally handicapped man was attempting to physically restrain him from running away.
Daniel Ray Brown, a 33 year old white male, attempted to stop the physical struggle by pointing a handgun at the victim. Mr. Brown subsequently fired a warning shot from his handgun.
The police did not say how the matter was resolved prior to their arrival, but did report that no one was injured in the incident. According to police, Mr. Brown did not know the caregiver or his care recipient, and was not involved in the initial physical struggle between those two.
Brown was charged with Discharging a firearm in city limits and Assault by pointing a gun. He was released with a written promise to appear in court on April 14th.
Anyone with any information regarding this incident or similar crimes is asked to call the Winston-Salem Police Department at 336-773-7700 or Crime Stoppers at 336-727-2800.
Editor’s note: The WSPD provided an incident address of 100 Hanes Mall Blvd, which does not exist. It is likely that the incident occurred at 100 Hanes Mall Circle, which is the address for Hanes Mall.
