Staff Writer

Five people have been arrested on drug charges in cases made by the Union County Sheriff's Office.

- Starks Fincher Jr., 36, of 109 Pine Terrace Circle, Union, was charged Thursday with distribution of crack. A report said Lt. John Sherfield with the sheriff's office and Investigator Mickey Parker with the Union Public Safety Department provided $40 to an informant who met Fincher on McClure Street and bought crack from him on Feb. 14.

- Lorraine Hendrix Hovis, 52, of 297 Haney Cemetery Road, Union, was charged Wednesday with purchasing Lortabs.

A report said an informant called officers and said Ms. Hovis wanted to buy Lortabs. Sherfield, Lt. David Kitchens and Cpl. Dean Gibson set up surveillance at the informant's house and gave the informant 10 Lortabs to sell. A short time later, Ms. Hovis and another woman, Michelle Sloan Allison, 22, of 1621 Blackstock Road, Pauline, arrived. Ms. Hovis gave the informant $50 for the Lortabs.

Ms. Hovis and Ms. Allison left. Officers stopped their vehicle a short distance later. The pills were in the car under where Ms. Hovis had been seated. Ms. Allison also had a small amount of marijuana. She was issued a summons, the report said.

- Steven William Lee, 21, and Shane Michael Hott, 31, both of 3121 Lockhart Highway were charged Wednesday with purchasing marijuana. A report said Sherfeld received a call that both men wanted to buy marijuana. He told him he would meet them in the parking lot in front of Wal-Mart on 441 North Duncan By-Pass. There, Sherfield sold them $20 worth of marijuana. As they began to drive away they were stopped by Kitchens, Gibson and Parker. The marijuana was recovered from under Lee's leg in the car.

Thefts

A victim on 130 Rockport Way told Deputy Tim Gaston Thursday that someone took her wedding and engagement rings from the center console of her 1999 Toyota Avalon. The wedding ring was gold and had the words "With my heart and soul" engraved inside and is worth $100. The engagement ring, worth $5,000, is gold with a 3/4 carat round diamond and baguette cluster and smaller diamonds. The victim said she had left her car unlocked. The theft is thought to have taken place in March.

On 414 Bentleytown Road, a victim told Deputy Roger Hill Thursday that someone stole her beagle/ rat terrier mix dog. She said her neighbor told her that he saw a man in small blue truck pull into her yard and take the dog.