The Pinehurst Police Department, with help from area departments, made two busts recently that resulted in the arrest of three people, including two illegals.
On Monday, February 17, 2025, at approximately 9:22 am, Officer Justin Brown with the Pinehurst Police Department- Criminal Interdiction Unit conducted a traffic stop on Interstate 10 in Pinehurst.
Upon conducting the stop, Officer Brown made contact with the 33-year-old driver, Winker Jose Nava Herrera, and 21-year-old passenger, Jose Lorenzo Valero Rojas, both in the United States illegally from Venezuela.
Through his roadside interview with the two occupants, Officer Brown suspected criminal activity. Neither Herrera nor Rojas could provide any form of identification. Upon further investigation and a consensual search of the vehicle, the two occupants were found to be in possession of three debit cards that were not in either party’s name and a total of $16,780 in unexplainable cash.
Both Herrera and Rojas were arrested for Money Laundering PC 34.02 and transported to the Orange County Jail, where they await pick up from the US Immigration Department.
Upon further investigation by the Pinehurst Police Department, Vidor Police Department, and Homeland Security, the suspects were identified by video as responsible for hacking into at least five or more Bank ATM hard drives between Chicago, Illinois, and Houston, Texas. It has been confirmed that a total of $33,600.00 in cash was taken in one hit on an ATM in Mississippi. The other ATM location losses are still being investigated.
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On Tuesday, February 25, 2025, at approximately 11:21 a.m., Pinehurst Patrol Officer Charles Forsythe (above), assisted by the West Orange Police Department, conducted a traffic stop at the 1700 block of Strickland Drive in Pinehurst. Officers suspected the driver, identified as 40-year-old Dennis Lee Turner Jr of Sulphur, Louisiana, (below) of criminal activity. Turner became very agitated and confrontational as officers spoke with him. Turner then fled and resisted the officers before being apprehended and arrested. Upon further investigation, officers found Turner to be in Possession of 57.86 grams of Methamphetamine. Turner was arrested for Resisting Arrest and Transport PC 38.03, Evading Arrest or Detention PC 38.04, and Possession of a Controlled Substance PG1 4g<200g HSC481.115. Turner was transported to the Orange County Jail, where he was booked in for his charges without further incident. Pinehurst Police Department would like to thank the West Orange Police Department for their teamwork.
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