An undercover sting that landed a local businesswoman in jail has resulted in the arrest of a second person on gambling charges.

Jonathan Heath Ward, 35, 593 Gist Bridge Road, Buffalo, is charged by the Union County Sheriff’s Office with two counts of possession of unlawful gaming devices and possession of an unlawful poker machine. Ward was arrested Wednesday by sheriff’s deputies acting on two warrants for his arrest and a warrant to search his home and an adjacent outbuilding.

The arrest grew out of an Oct. 9 undercover operation by the sheriff’s office at the Pit Stop Bar, 1226 South Duncan Bypass. Operatives obtained evidence the owner, Melissa Gail Lee, was running an unlawful gambling operation involving poker machines. Lee was arrested Oct. 22 and charged with keeping unlawful gaming tables. Two poker machines and documents from a possible race game were confiscated.

A search of Lee’s person turned up a pill identified as Hydrocodone. Under questioning Lee admitted she didn’t have a prescription and she was charged with possession of a Schedule III narcotic

Lt. John Sherfield said Thursday when questioned about the poker machines, Lee told investigators they were owned by Ward. She said the two were splitting the profits generated by the machines.

Sherfield said based on this, the sheriff’s office obtained two warrants for Ward’s arrest for ownership of the machines seized at the bar. They also obtained a search warrant and it was during a search of the outbuilding deputies found a “Pot Of Gold” poker machine. He said this was the basis for the third charged filed against Ward.

Ward was taken to the Union County Jail where he was held until being released on bond that evening.

Drug Bust

An undercover sting also resulted in the arrest of three people on drug charges.

The sting took place Friday when an operative was sent to John D. Long Lake to purchase crack cocaine using recorded government funds. After the purchase was made, deputies moved in and arrested the three people involved in the transaction and confiscated their car, a silver 2000 Dodge Neon. A search of the vehicle turned up a “quantity” of cocaine.

Charged with distribution of crack cocaine and possession with intent to distribute cocaine are:

Donovan Lee Robinson, 22, 346 Pineneedle Road; William Jeff Sinclair, 528 Police Club Road; and Felicia Kaye Howard, 114 3rd St., all of Union.

At the time of their arrest, deputies confiscated $83 from Howard and $54 from Sinclair.

The three were transported to the jail where Robinson and Sinclair remained as of Thursday afternoon. Howard was released on bond Saturday.

Burglary Investigated

Deputies were dispatched to a residence at 5901 Whitmire Highway on Wednesday afternoon in response to a report of a burglary.

The victim told deputies sometime between 2 p.m. Tuesday and 2 p.m. Wednesday someone broke into his home through the front door and stole two bottles of liquor and a bottle of Amitriptyline from the freezer in the kitchen. The bottles of liquor are valued at $7 each and the Amitriptyline at $1.

Damage to the door was estimated at $25.

Arrests

The following persons were arrested by the Union Public Safety Department:

Matthew Williams Jr., 21, 206 Cabin St., Union, charged Wednesday with assault and battery.

Tyler Blake Lawson, 25, 112 Second St., Union, charged Wednesday with shoplifting. Pleaded guilty before Municipal Judge Wade Hampton and sentenced to 30 days or $840 suspended upon payment of a $155 fine and $20 restitution.

Raymond Lavonne Flucker, 32, 118 Rifle Range Road, Union, charged Wednesday with open container and simple possession of marijuana.

James Verdel Smith, 47, 108 Gault Avenue, Union, charged Wednesday with open container.

Johnna Patrice Johnson, 23, 156 Joe Walker Road, Union, charged Wednesday with unlawful use of telephone.

Jean Marie Moore, 40, 413 North Church St., Union, charged Wednesday with driving under suspension first offense.