A 35-year-old Claremont man, already serving time for property crimes in Burke County, pled guilty to additional charges in Catawba County and has time added from 9-12 years. Benjamin Lagunas pleaded guilty as charged to two counts of breaking and entering and larceny, obtaining property by false pretence and felony failure to appear, during Catawba County Superior Court on Wednesday. He also admitted to habitual felon status, enhancing his status. According to reports, Lagunas stole a weed trimmer, hand-held blower and leaf blower from two locations in July 2013 and pawned them at local pawn shops. Lagunas is currently serving for similar offences in Burke County, which he pleaded guilty to in May.

A Marin man is charged with disposing of a gun used in a January shooting in McDowell County. 29 year old Paul Reid Crawley was charged by the McDowell County Sheriff's Office with felony accessory after the fact. Last week, investigators charged four Marion residents, 18 year old Matthew Justin Blackwell, 28 year old Michael Bennett Bryant, 18 year old Erin Rebekah McElveen and 20 year old Kayla Penland, for shooting into a Sugar Hill Road residence on January 30th. One of the occupants of the house, 26 year old Kasey Lanning, was struck in the leg by a bullet.