Deputies with the Brunswick County Sheriff’s Office Animal Protective Services Division have filed additional charges against William Earl Hewett and several of his family members charged with assisting in his Jan. 29 escape from the Brunswick County jail in Bolivia.
William Earl Hewett, 22, escaped from the Brunswick County jail at about 4 p.m. Jan. 29, when he reportedly switched arm bands with his brother, Curtis Hewett, who was in custody on a misdemeanor charge and was set to be bonded out, according to Brunswick County Sheriff John Ingram.
Deputies with the Brunswick County Sheriff’s Office on Feb. 3 stormed what was described as a “family compound” off Trails End Drive in Southport, where they arrested William Hewett and several members of his family.
Read related story: Deputies arrest escaped inmate, family members at Southport ‘compound’
William Hewett, Katherine Hewett Carter, Earl Antonio Carter, Tanna Lynn Hewett and Curtis Wayne Hewett have been charged with animal cruelty, according to Brunswick County Sheriff’s Office Spokeswoman Emily Flax.
“Seventeen dogs of various breeds and one equine were found at the Hewett family compound and were seized by [animal protective services] on the morning of Feb. 3,” Flax said. “Many of the dogs were found with no food, water or adequate shelter and some were tied with chains weighing as much as 26 pounds.
“Several of the dogs were found to be in extremely poor health, suffering from mange and in need of veterinary care.”
All of the animals are currently being cared for and evaluated by the animal protective services team, Flax said.
Detention officers suspended, demoted
Three more detention officers have been disciplined following William Hewett’s escape.
Aaron Glen Stanley, who was hired in August 2014, was suspended on Feb. 6 for two days, according to Flax. Ronald Gore, a lieutenant at the jail hired in 1996, was suspended on Feb. 6 for two days.
Karl Dean Scoggins, a sergeant in the jail, was demoted to corporal. Scoggins, who earned an annual salary of $43,770 as a sergeant, will make between $35,486 and $46,132 as a corporal, Flax said. Scoggins’ new salary is still “to be determined,” she said.
Ingram said William Hewett’s escape was one of “human error,” not an error in the sheriff’s office system, which he described as “sound.” Ingram said the process “broke down,” which allowed him to escape.
While William Hewett and Curtis Hewett were in a cell together at the jail, they reportedly switched arm bands, which allowed William Hewett to walk out the front door of the county jail, Ingram said. If procedure had been followed, Ingram said, William Hewett would not have made it past the first officer who processed his release.
Read related story: Sheriff: Procedure for releasing inmates is ‘solid,’ if followed (WATCH VIDEO)
“We take their property and put it in a bag. And on that property bag, we put their name, their photo, everything. We get all of their pertinent information and they’re processed in the facility,” Ingram said. “When they’re released, there are a number of things that [detention officers] do. One is the iris scan. The other is they can physically look at the photo on screen and look at the person standing in front of them. They can look at the photo on the arm band and look at the person in front of them.”
The process must be completed by a corporal. In this case it was Cpl. Ashley Harrell, who was fired from the sheriff’s office on Jan. 31, after being placed on administrative leave Jan. 30.
William Hewett remains in custody under a $3 million secured bond. He is being held in an isolation cell, away from all of his family, Ingram said.
Caroline Curran is the managing editor of Port City Daily. Reach her at (910) 772-6336 or [email protected]. On Twitter: @Cgcurran
