ROCKINGHAM — A Rockingham man was arrested after a homeowner noticed a suspicious vehicle on his property.
Reports state deputies responded to a home on West Country Lane after the homeowner discovered a car parked on his property with the driver asleep inside.
According to RCSO, when a deputy approached the vehicle, he found the driver, identified as Shawn Antonio Tatum, 42, of Rockingham, with a firearm lying on his lap. The deputy secured the gun and, upon further investigation, determined that it had been reported stolen in a 2020 case in Richmond County. Authorities also confirmed that Tatum, a convicted felon, is prohibited from possessing or owning a firearm.
Tatum was arrested and charged with one count of felony possession of a stolen firearm and one count of felony possession of a firearm by a felon. He was previously convicted in 2015 of trafficking Schedule II controlled substances. Tatum was booked into the Richmond County Jail without incident and received a $25,000 secured bond.
In a separate incident, officials said deputies arrested another man on outstanding warrants for failing to appear in court on multiple previous charges, including felony drug possession and probation violations.
According to reports, deputies responded to a home on Smith Street in East Rockingham for a report of trespassers. Upon arrival, they found Dallas Stone Southall, 26, of Rockingham, hiding underneath an outbuilding on the property.
Officials said Southall had outstanding warrants for failing to appear in court on charges including felony possession with intent to sell and deliver methamphetamines, felony possession of methamphetamines, felony probation violation, misdemeanor possession of marijuana paraphernalia, misdemeanor possession of drug paraphernalia, misdemeanor carrying a concealed firearm and misdemeanor discharging a firearm within city limits. During the arrest, deputies filed additional charges against him, including misdemeanor resisting a public officer, misdemeanor possession of drug paraphernalia and felony possession of 12.8 grams of methamphetamines found during a search.
Southall was booked into the Richmond County Jail without incident and received a $100,000 secured bond.