U.S. Marshals catch fugitive in Greenville

Greenville, N.C. — U.S. Marshals and local law enforcement on Wednesday captured a man wanted in both North Carolina and Maryland on drug and weapons charges.

The marshals, Greenville police and Pitt County sheriff's deputies arrested Johnny Edward Byrd Jr., 24, of 3812 Vancroft Circle Apt. L-10, at his Greenville apartment with incident.

At his arrest, officers said they found two handguns – one reported as stolen – 8 grams of cocaine, 12 doses of crack, 41 doses of ecstasy and a small amount of marijuana in Byrd's possession.

Maryland authorities wanted Byrd for felony probation violations, and Greenville authorities had issued firearms charges against him.

The North Carolina Department of Corrections had listed Byrd as an absconder from probation for drug possession and distribution in Beaufort County.

After his arrest, Byrd was additionally charged with two counts of possession of a firearm by a felon, one count of possession of a stolen firearm, and one count each of possession with intent to deliver of crack, cocaine and ecstasy. He was also charged with simple possession of a marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia.

He was being held in the Pitt County Jail under a $550,000 bond Friday. He was also awaiting extradition procedures to Maryland.