ROBESON COUNTY, N.C. – Both the police chief and town manager of Red Springs have been arrested following a four-month criminal investigation into the unlawful removal of personnel record from the town hall.

Police Chief Ronnie Patterson and Town Manager David Ashburn are both facing a number of charges after former Red Springs mayor, John McNeill, called for the investigation when portions of Patterson’s personnel file surfaced during his election campaign for sheriff of Robeson County.

As a result of the investigation, warrants were filed to search two large boxes that had been secured in the town vault for years which were full of documents pertaining to Patterson.

The investigation revealed these boxes were removed from the vault during Patterson’s election campaign by David Ashburn, in violation of state law, sometime between Jan. 1, 2018 and Feb. 28. 2018.

The files removed dealt with:

1. A sexual harassment investigation on Patterson and a former town employee, which included settlement information.
2. Polygraph information on the aforementioned sexual harassment investigation which indicated “clear, consistent and remarkable physiological criteria indicative of deception”
3. An investigative file relating to two felonies of Accessory Before the Fact and Aiding and Abetting which were committed by Patterson relative to a fraudulent Worker’s Compensation claim filed on behalf of a former town employee
4. Polygraph information on the aforementioned felony investigations which indicated “clear, consistent and remarkable physiological criteria indicative of deception”
5. An investigative file relating to obstruction of justice committed by Patterson relating to an investigation involving the United States Department of Justice; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
6. Polygraph information on the aforementioned obstruction investigation which indicated deception
7. Federal litigation in a case against Patterson filed by Alma J. Brown, Administratrix of the Estate of Joseph Anthony Brown
8. Records and documents relating to complaints, investigations, actions, summary and disposition relating to Patterson
9. Records and documents relating to attorney-client communications regarding Patterson’s separation from employment by the town.
10. Records and documentation from both the Town of Red Springs as well as the North Carolina Criminal Justice Education and Training Standards Commission relative to Welton Laranza Patterson’s separation from employment by the Town of Red Springs.

Additionally, the investigation revealed that Patterson had previously rented three storage units in Red Springs. When his past due rental fees reached $3,151.00, the contents of his units were sold. Investigators discovered the identity of the person who took possession of items in the units and learned that among the items inside the units were crime scene photos, firearms, narcotics, photos of various nude women, fingerprint files, criminal investigative files, handcuffs, ammunition, as well as the sexual harassment file relating to same former town employee mentioned above.

Patterson lost his campaign for Sheriff during the May primary to Burnis Wilkins.

The results of the investigation were presented to a grand jury in Robeson Coutny on Sept. 4 with True Bills of Indictment being returned against both Ashburn and Patterson for the following offenses:

PATTERSON:

• 10 Counts of Unlawful Removal of Public Records
• 10 Counts of Conspiracy to Commit Removal of Public Records

ASHBURN:

• 10 Counts of Unlawful Disposal of Public Records
• 10 Counts of Unlawful Removal of Public Records
• 10 Counts of Conspiracy to Commit Removal of Public Records