Philip D. Brown

Richmond County Daily Journal

A pair of men accused of breaking into Richmond County businesses are believed be responsible for a two-month series of break-ins spanning at least five counties, lawmen say.

One of the accused is a convicted habitual felon, while the other was convicted of second-degree murder and is a registered sex offender.

Lewis Dewayne Hall, 45, of McFarland Road, Laurel Hill, was arrested in Richmond County and charged with two counts each of felony breaking and entering, felony larceny after breaking and entering and misdemeanor injury to personal property. His bond was set at $10,000.

Darian Wayne Parks, 41, of Sigma Street, Laurinburg, was also arrested and charged with two counts each of felony breaking and entering, felony larceny after breaking and entering and misdemeanor injury to personal property. His bond was set at $25,000.

Investigators from Richmond and Scotland County sheriff’s offices noticed similarities between break-ins that took place in Hoffman in June and in Laurinburg in June and July, leading to their sharing information and charging the pair with the crimes.

In all the cases, a window was broken out of the closed businesses, and a masked person crawled inside taking money, cigarettes and other tobacco products and accessories.

In Scotland County, Hall has a bond of $5,000, and faces two counts each of felony breaking and entering, larceny and conspiracy.

In Moore County, he is charged with aiding and abetting a felony larceny.

Hall’s prison record includes a stint of less than five years for second-degree murder and two years for taking indecent liberties with a minor. He also has several prior convictions for thefts and break-ins.

Parks is a convicted habitual felon who was taken into custody in Sanford on charges including misdemeanor larceny in Scotland, Cumberland and Randolph counties, in addition to felony charges in Richmond and Scotland counties.

In Scotland County, he faces three felony counts each of breaking and enterlng, larceny and conspiracy. His bond there is $78,000.

He is also awaiting trial for several counts of misdemeanor larceny in Scotland and Moore counties, and faces a felony larceny charge in Aberdeen.

Other arrests reported by the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office include:

n Steven Francis Delano, 61, of Battley Dairy Road, Hamlet, was arrested and charged with felony counts of possession with intent to sell or distribute a Schedule IV controlled substance, possession with intent to sell or distribute a Schedule II controlled substance, possession with intent to sell or distribute marijuana, the sale and delivery of marijuana, maintaing a dwelling for the purpose of keeping a controlled substance and possession of a firearm by a felon, as well as misdemeanor possession of drug paraphernalia. His bond was set at $10,000.

n Ricky Gene Knight, 33, of Ridgeview Drive, Hamlet, was arrested and charged with felony larceny. His bond was set at $10,000.

n Michael Anthony Murchison, 42, of Ghio Road, Hamlet, was arrested and charged with felony counts of breaking and entering, larceny after breaking and entering and obtaining property by false pretenses. His bond was set at $10,000.

Arrest reports published in the Richmond County Daily Journal are copied from local law enforcement records. Except for people injured in motor vehicle accidents or reportable deaths, victims including people, businesses and institutions and their addresses are not included as a matter of newspaper policy. Reports include both arrests and criminal summons such as citations. The Daily Journal lists them all as arrests. People charged are presumed innocent until determined to be guilty by a court of law.

Staff Writer Philip D. Brown can be reached at (910) 997-3111 ext. 32, or by e-mail at pbrown@yourdailyjournal.com.