Deputy Discovers Stolen Guns

Two men are facing multiple felony charges after deputies recovered several stolen rifles during a patrol in northern Iredell County.

According to Sheriff Darren Campbell, the incident happened Sunday, March 1st when Sergeant E. Line of the Iredell County Sheriff’s Office Aggressive Criminal Enforcement Team was patrolling the Wilkesboro Highway area. While conducting a security check at a nearby business, Sergeant Line spotted a suspicious vehicle parked on the shoulder of Damascus Church Road.

Deputies say the vehicle was initially unoccupied, so Sergeant Line checked nearby businesses to locate the occupants. When he returned, two individuals were inside the vehicle. They were later identified as 20-year-old Billy Ayden Summer of Statesville and 22-year-old James Anthony Seria of Mooresville.

During the encounter, Sergeant Line reportedly observed four rifles hidden beneath a toolbox in the bed of the truck. Investigators say those firearms had not been visible when the vehicle was first discovered.

Deputies soon learned that an outbuilding in the 4200 block of Wilkesboro Highway had been broken into. When the property owner arrived, investigators discovered a safe inside the building had been opened and multiple rifles were missing.

After checking the serial numbers, deputies confirmed the rifles found in the suspects’ vehicle had been stolen from that outbuilding. Authorities estimate the total value of the firearms at around $3,500.

Summer and Seria were arrested and transported to the Iredell County Detention Center. Both men are charged with felony breaking and entering, felony larceny after breaking and entering, four counts of felony larceny of a firearm, and felony conspiracy to break and enter a building.

Magistrate J. Hollar found probable cause and set each of their bonds at $75,000 secured.