Cops describe club warning before the raid

A television news cameraman, charged with leaking information about a law enforcement raid on Club Mickey's, is believed to have sent a text message to the club's manager, according to an affidavit.

The cameraman Eugene O. Shelton, 32, of Sherwood Road was at a briefing at the courthouse involving law enforcement officers and media to prepare for a search of Mickey's on the morning of May 3.

"After the briefing, Eugene, the cameraman for Channel 12, told his reporter, Heather Ford, that he would not be able to go on the Search Warrant because he knew too many people who frequented the club," Capt. Rick Sutherland wrote in the affidavit, which accompanied a search warrant seeking telephone records from Verizon Wireless.

Shelton did not accompany media and law enforcement to Mickey's."When law enforcement arrived at the club, Captain (Jon) Lewis heard one of the customers say ‘Hey, y'all, they're here, the cops are here for the raid.'

When Sgt. (Bob) Ides approached the club manager, Jason Howard, Howard told Ides, ‘I knew y'all were coming, I just got a text message on my phone,'" according to the affidavit.

The Onslow County Sheriff's Department has information indicating that Shelton has a "side business capturing video and photographs," has shot footage inside Club Mickey's and that Shelton had worked for Club Mickey's previously, according to the affidavit.Shelton was charged by the Onslow County Sheriff's Department with resisting, obstructing and delaying a police officer, a misdemeanor.

Shelton is accused of "warning (someone at Club Mickey's) that law enforcement officers were in route to serve a search warrant," according to an arrest warrant filed at the magistrate's office. Shelton has denied warning anyone."It's not true," he told The Daily News on Thursday. "This is just because I know certain people."

When The Daily News called him on Friday afternoon, Shelton hung up without commenting.

WCTI General Manager Don Fisher said Thursday that Shelton has been suspended from his duties at the station. He said the station is conducting an internal investigation, but since the issue is a personnel matter, he couldn't comment further.

The Sheriff's Department served a temporary restraining order on the owners of the property and club at 4441 Richlands Highway, just north of the Tar Landing community as part of a public nuisance abatement case filed by the county.

When The Daily News called Friday afternoon, Shelton hung up without commenting.

WCTI General Manager Don Fisher said Shelton has been suspended from his duties at the station. He said they are conducting an internal investigation, but since the issue is a personnel matter, he couldn't comment further.

The Sheriff's Department served a temporary restraining order on the owners of the property and club - at 4441 Richlands Highway, just north of the Tar Landing community - as part of a public nuisance abatement case filed by the county.

Several arrests were made for outstanding warrants and two patrons were arrested for resisting a police officer during the predawn raid. Guns, drugs, bladed weapons, a set of brass knuckles, and a bag of bullets were found on the floor of the club, in vehicles in the parking lot and in a trash can set up by deputies to collect illegal items.