Two arrested for drug charges on Guilford campus
Kevin Alfaro and Samuel Ciganek were arrested by the Greensboro Police Department on Wednesday, Sept. 13, 2017 on Elizabeth Fry Road on Guilford College Campus. The GPD’s Vice & Narcotics Commanding Officer R.B. Culler confirmed the arrests.
Two more suspects were at the scene. Their arrests are pending, according to the most recent information provided by Culler, as of Sept. 20.
“Samuel Ciganek was charged with two counts of conspiracy to traffic marijuana, more than 10 lbs., less than 50 lbs. Kevin Alfaro was charged four counts of trafficking marijuana and four counts of conspiracy to traffic marijuana, more than 10 lbs., less than 50 lbs.,” Culler said in a phone interview.
According to The North Carolina Court System records, the charges filed against the suspects are felonies.
The two arrested suspects will appear in court on Oct. 26 for the charges from Sept. 13.
Ciganek had a preliminary hearing on Thursday, Sept. 28 in Virginia Beach General District Court in Virginia Beach, Virginia for charges from Sunday, July 30, 2017. (See explanation in the side bar.)
The Vice & Narcotics Division focuses on investigation of “illegal narcotic and controlled substance sales, possession, and use, including illegal use of prescription drugs,” as cited on the City of Greensboro website.
“We do long-term investigations. Ultimately, what you’re trying to do is find where the drugs came from,” Culler said. “You’re trying to stop the drugs from coming into Greensboro, North Carolina.”
My Vice & Narcotics Division, we’re working on investigations. We typically don’t involve anybody,” Culler said.
School administration officials, including Public Safety, were unaware of the operation until it was already underway.
“As stated in the emergency alerts, the Greensboro Police Department carried out an operation on our campus, which we became aware of while it was in process,” Vice President of Marketing Roger Degerman wrote in an email midday Thursday, Sept. 14 regarding the alerts and events from the previous day.
Culler confirmed undercover cars, but declined to provide additional details on the undercover officers involved.
“As far as undercover cars, (in) my division, all we use is undercover cars. And I won’t talk about undercover operations as far as people,” Culler said.
On Wednesday, Sept. 13, GPD, including undercover officers and a K-9 unit, conducted a police operation near the North Apartments on Elizabeth Fry Road. At least seven police cars were located on the scene.
When police began the operation, suspects fled into the woods. The K-9 unit and a fire truck were brought in to help search.
Senior Elliott Jarrett witnessed the scene from the walkway between Elizabeth Fry Road and the North Apartments.
Jarrett said the police spoke over the megaphone to a person in the woods.
“The cops yelled, ‘We will find you. We’re sending a dog in,’ and they sent one dog in,” Jarrett said.
Guilford administration officials did not comment on the current enrollment status of the suspects but confirmed there was an ongoing internal review.
“My understanding is that Guilford’s internal case review process is still active,” wrote Degerman in an email Tuesday evening, Sept. 26. “Thus there is nothing further that can be shared at this time.”
Molly Brown • Oct 10, 2017 at 10:05 pm
To be clear, nothing was accomplished by publishing student’s names other than to sensationalize what is already a sad situation. There should be a universal obligation to “do no harm”. I respectfully submit that this article did just that.
Walter • Oct 4, 2017 at 9:06 pm
“With all the things that are going on this world you should try to come from a place of loving kindness instead of hate and anger.”
Take your own advice and stop assuming the motives of the authors. They aren’t bullies. They aren’t witch hunting anyone. Our drug laws may be unjust, but the authors have no obligation to protect the anonymity of purported felons.
Thanks for writing this up, Kathleen and Andrew. I’m happy to finally hear the full story of what exactly went on that day.
Molly Brown • Oct 3, 2017 at 3:37 pm
It is truly sad that you do not think of the consequences of publishing students names and and the harmful slant of the article. These are people who have lives and whom may or may not have done what they are accused of. Folks are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. Yet you use this court of public opinion to damage another’s reputation. There was no reason to mention names. You could have presented facts without naming names and stated the school’s drug policy, that would have been sufficient. Instead you use this platform to bully. With all the things that are going on this world you should try to come from a place of loving kindness instead of hate and anger. Quaker values espouse Integrity, Community, Harmony Peace, and Simplicity. This article embraces non of those values. I urge you to take the article down and rewrite the facts without harm to others. Hold your journalistic and quaker values close and do the right thing.
Thank you.
MB