Charges dropped after drug bust shown on YouTube

Sanford, N.C. — Charges have been dropped in the biggest drug bust in Lee County after video of the crime scene appeared on the Internet.

The drug bust was part of a joint investigation by federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation. The marijuana was tracked from Mexico to Lee County, where officials said they caught Auturo Elizalde, 27, and Thomas Ayala, 32, with 1,900 pounds of marijuana Jan 25.

An officer with the Sanford Police Department videotaped the bust, and his video turned up on YouTube. The video has been removed from the site, and the officer is no longer with the department. Officials withheld his name.

Investigators, prosecutors and defense attorneys claimed they didn't even know the video existed until word spread that it was online.

“It's my understanding that there were two Sanford police officers who came to the scene and did record part of the crime scene,” Lee County Sheriff Tracy Carter said.

Carter said he does not know what the officers were doing there. Federal and state agents were on the scene, he said, and local police were never called.

"I'm upset that this happened,” Carter added.

Elizalde and Ayala were arrested during the bust.

After the defense argued that the video should have been submitted into evidence, all charges but one were dismissed against the two suspects.

Both men were sentenced to probation, and released on time served.

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Latest Comments

That there's some mighty fine police work, Lou.

Smorgas_Of_Borg
July 23, 2008 9:04 p.m.

*sigh* Sanford, what were you thinking......

Trublue in Wake County
July 23, 2008 8:58 p.m.

OldRebel, I agree with your statement, "I support Tracy Carter as Sheriff of Lee County. Kevin Bryant is a professional LEO and there is nothing I can or would say against him."

I wasn't meaning anything bad towards him. Like many others, I just wanted something different last time. I still support Tracy, but have no bad thoughts about Kevin either.

1Moms_View
July 23, 2008 8:00 p.m.

I support Tracy Carter as Sheriff of Lee County. Kecin Bryant is a professional LEO and there is nothing I can or would say against him. In our adversarial electorial process, people sometimes forget that each person running for a position such as Sheriff (or President for that matter) is honorable as the other and each brings to that position differing values and ideas of how to project that office. I'll suport and vote for Carter in the next election. I do wish we had the same kind of citizen oversight in municipal law enforcement. It would be good to turn the police chief out on their ear every election cycle if they don't perform their office as it should be and fail to keep their troops operating as they should. The way things are now, if you even breathe about police corruption you're branded as not supportive of law enforcement in general which is a total lie. In the past, even wife beaters could drive up to their estranged wife's house in a police car and beat their X down...

oldrebel
July 23, 2008 7:46 p.m.

LCSDajoke, anyone reading your posts on any thread that mentions Lee Co can tell your posts are politically motivated against Carter. Your sour grapes are really obvious. I wanted a change. I went to HS with KB and would have had no problems with him as sheriff, had he not been part of the old regime. Having been under the influence and part of the prior administration, I didn't feel the citizens here would see the change so many of us wanted. Had he not been part of that group for so many years, who's to say what might have happened. But you need to move on...the election is over. Get over it!

Carter has done a good job so far. You keep trying to downplay anything the LCSD does, but you're wrong.

1Moms_View
July 23, 2008 7:38 p.m.