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Operation Jawbreaker suspect sees bond revoked

News September 8, 2020 , by
Operation Jawbreaker
In a press release, District Attorney Ashley Hornsby Welch said a key figure in Operation Jawbreaker, a sweep two years ago of suspected local drug dealers acting in concert on a two-state level, was arrested Tuesday and charged with harboring a fugitive.
Wade Ennis, 60, is accused of helping James Steele, 47, elude law enforcement after Steele skipped a $2.5 million bond. He did not show up in June as ordered in Macon County Superior Court.
Steele also faced arrest in Operation Jawbreaker.
Ennis and Steele were arrested again Aug. 3, this time in Transylvania County. They were charged with possession of methamphetamine and misdemeanor drug paraphernalia.
Additionally, Steele was charged with providing fictitious information to an officer.
Operation Jawbreaker targeted a well-organized criminal enterprise involved in distributing large quantities of methamphetamine and heroin – not only in Macon County, but in Western North Carolina and North Georgia.
In the April 2018 sweep that resulted in 25 arrests, Ennis was charged with continuing criminal enterprise, conspiracy to traffic opium/heroin, conspiracy to traffic methamphetamine, trafficking opium/heroin, possession with intent to manufacture, sell or deliver methamphetamine, maintaining dwelling/place, possession of heroin, possession of methamphetamine.
Steele was arrested for continuing criminal enterprise, conspiracy to traffic opium/heroin, trafficking opium/heroin, possession of heroin, deliver heroin X2, possession controlled substance on jail premises.
Prosecutors Tuesday requested Senior Resident Superior Court Judge Bill Coward revoke Ennis’ bond.
Ennis’ defense attorney, Wade Collins, argued against the bond revocation, saying the allegations from Transylvania County are, at this juncture, unproven. His client has not fled the jurisdiction since being charged in Jawbreaker, and he would not flee now, Collins told the judge.
The judge set a $700,000 bond for Ennis for the harboring a fugitive in addition to previous bond.
Feature image courtesy of district attorney’s office. 

Trial date set for man accused of killing family members

News, Press Release June 2, 2020 , by
trial date snow

MACON COUNTY, N.C. – A trial date is now in place for Paul Eugene Snow, the Macon County man accused of killing his mother and sister in November 2016, District Attorney Ashley Hornsby Welch said Tuesday.

Jury selection for Snow’s trial is set for the Oct. 26th term of Macon County Superior Court. The 53-year-old faces two counts of first-degree murder. If convicted, Snow would spend the remainder of his life in prison.

Monday, deputies served Snow with a separate, but related, grand-jury indictment for arson. That case is on Macon County’s court calendar for July 6. At that time, Chief Resident Superior Court Judge Bill Coward also intends, in advance of Snow’s murder trial, to accept and review pre-trial motions.

Snow’s attorney, Tony Dalton of Brevard, told Coward in court this week he would represent his client on both the murder and arson charges.

Prosecutors say the suspect shot his mother, Sunshine Snow, and sister, Jacquetta Snow, then set ablaze their Creekside home in the Cartoogechaye community. Investigators discovered the women’s bodies after firefighters extinguished the fire.

Police in Santa Rosa County, Florida arrested Snow about two weeks later, on Nov. 21, on an outstanding warrant of failing to register in North Carolina as a sex offender. That charge of failure to report a new address is pending.

Feature image courtesy of District Attorney Ashley Hornsby.

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