A Southport business owner arrested last week on charges of possessing stolen equipment has been arrested on additional charges.
Kyle Grant Pierce, 21, of Frink Lake Drive in Boiling Spring Lakes, who owns and operates East Coast Lawn Care in Southport and Boiling Spring Lakes, was arrested Wednesday and charged with four counts of obtaining property by false pretenses and two counts of possession of stolen goods, according to Brunswick County Sheriff’s Office Spokeswoman Emily Flax.
Kyle Pierce was previously charged with four counts of possession of stolen goods or property for allegedly possessing $78,000 worth of stolen equipment, including a Skid Steer valued at $60,000, a front-end loader attachment valued at $5,000, a bush hog valued at $3,000 and a John Deere roller attachment valued at $10,000. He was also charged with two counts of felony larceny.
Approximately $170,000 in reported stolen property has been recovered in the months-long investigation, Flax said.
Kyle Pierce’s mother, Tammie Pierce, 54, of Frink Lake Drive, was also charged in connection with the case.
Tammie Pierce, who previously served as a judicial assistant for Senior Resident Superior Court Judge Ola Lewis and Chief District Judge Jerry Jolly, was charged with six counts of conspiracy to commit felony larceny and two counts of aiding and abetting to obtain property by false pretenses, Flax said.
The conspiracy charge alleges Tammie Pierce conspired with Kyle Pierce to possess multiple stolen items, and the aid and abet charge alleges she knew the dump truck and tractor were not lawfully owned by Kyle Pierce, Flax said.
Tammie Pierce was released from the Brunswick County Detention Center on a $2,500 bond.
Kyle Pierce is being held at the Brunswick County Detention Center under a $50,000 bond. Additional related charges are still pending.
