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Crime Briefs - Two Charged
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Covington police reported that a shoplifting investigation resulted in the arrest of two women for possession of suspected methamphetamine on Monday.

Police charged Michelle Payne, 39, of 6024 Clane Drive in Covington, and Stephanie Miranda, 26, of 629 Windy Hill Road in Monticello, with theft by shoplifting and possession of methamphetamine about 1:37 p.m. Monday at the CVS Pharmacy at 8183 U.S. Highway 278 N.E.

Police reported that they were seen placing makeup items in pocketbooks and walking out of the store to a pickup truck. Officers said they watched one of the women crouch near a wheel well on the truck. When they checked the wheel well, police found a blue makeup case that contained a white crystalline substance thought to be methamphetamine, digital scales, and 11 plastic bags, according to the report.

Makeup items taken from the drug store and valued at $102.50 were found in the truck bed and in the pocketbooks of the two women, police reported.

Payne and Miranda were taken to the Newton County Detention Center and remained in jail on Tuesday.

A call Sunday to investigate reports of shots being fired and people screaming on Lunsford Circle resulted in the arrests of four people on drug possession and other charges, Covington Police reported.

Drug Charges
Police arrested James Gregory Herron, 21, of 3138 Baywood Court Conyers; Jevah Amandle Holmes, 20, of 4811 Hull Road in Conyers; and Yalisa Shy Quon Birch, 19, of 2602 Embacadero Drive, Apartment 260, Lithonia, on drug possession charges. David Moton, 27, of 9226 Carr Circle in Covington, was arrested on charges of theft by receiving stolen property and providing false information to police, according to the report.

Police reported that when they arrived about 7:55 a.m., they found a car with a window that apparently had been shot out. While talking with the driver, a second car, driven by Herron, approached.

Officers then talked with Herron and noticed a knife and brass knuckles on his lap. The knife was confiscated, according to the report. Police later searched around the car with a drug-sniffing dog, which alerted officers. They found a pocketbook on the center console that contained substances believed to be cocaine, marijuana, hydrocodone and Oxycontin.

Moton reportedly gave officers a false name at first.

Police reported that they found no shell casings at the scene.

The four were jailed in the Newton County Detention Center and remained in jail in lieu of bail on Tuesday.