A Scotland County human-trafficking investigation that started with a welfare report in March has widened into a three-state sweep, with four arrests stretching from Laurinburg to Myrtle Beach and all the way to Las Vegas. Deputies say a follow-up this month to an Adult Protective Services referral led to felony charges including human trafficking, conspiracy, and forcible rape.
The sheriff’s office says the case grew out of an Adult Protective Services report filed in March alleging that registered sex offender Carl Campbell had a sexual relationship with a 20-year-old woman with mental disabilities. As deputies followed up in November, they say they uncovered additional evidence of trafficking activity that led to arrests across multiple jurisdictions, according to WMBF.
Four suspects arrested across three states
The Scotland County Sheriff’s Office identified the four people arrested as Carl Campbell, Donald Meicht, Wanda Newlin, and Anna Henning. Campbell and Meicht were taken into custody in Scotland County, Newlin was arrested in Myrtle Beach, and Henning was picked up in Las Vegas, as per WIS News 10.
Charges and custody status
Documents reviewed by deputies show Campbell and Meicht face human-trafficking counts and second-degree forcible rape, while Newlin and Henning are charged with human trafficking and felony conspiracy. Campbell and Meicht are being held in the Scotland County jail on a secured bond totaling $5 million, Newlin is being held without bond, and Henning is awaiting extradition to Scotland County, as stated by WMBF.
Legal implications
Human trafficking is a felony under North Carolina law and carries heavier penalties when victims are minors; the statute defines trafficking as recruiting, enticing, harboring, transporting, or obtaining a person for involuntary or sexual servitude. As per the North Carolina General Statutes, each violation can be charged separately, and the sheriff’s office said the probe remains active as investigators continue developing the case, as mentioned by WIS News 10.
Why investigators are paying attention
North Carolina has been a focal point for anti-trafficking work: the State Bureau of Investigation’s Human Trafficking Unit recently received a multi-million dollar grant to bolster investigations and support victims. Nationally, the National Human Trafficking Hotline reports thousands of identified cases in recent years, underscoring how trafficking investigations often cross county and state lines; see the N.C. State Bureau of Investigation and the National Human Trafficking Hotline for broader data and outreach efforts.
What’s next
Deputies say the investigation is ongoing and more charges could follow. Anyone with information is asked to contact the Scotland County Sheriff’s Office tip line at 910-276-3385 or submit a tip through the sheriff’s website. The four arrested individuals are presumed innocent until proven guilty in court, and officials have not released identifying details about potential victims while the inquiry continues.
