SALISBURY — Three people have been convicted and sentenced in Rowan County Superior Court this week for criminal offenses from 2015 and 2016 involving theft and drug charges.

Cory Damont Bolt of Salisbury was convicted May 3 of felony attempted larceny and he admitted his status as a habitual felon. Judge Anna Mills Wagoner sentenced Bolt to a minimum of 44 months to a maximum of 65 months in prison.

On July 3, 2015, a victim reported that a jackhammer had been stolen from his business. During the investigation it was determined that Bolt, who had been employed at the business, had stolen the item.

Bolt, 42, was convicted of felony possession of a stolen motor vehicle, felony breaking and/or entering, and felony possession of cocaine, among other convictions.

John Christopher Meece, 25, of China Grove was convicted May 4 of felony common law robbery, felony possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, felony possession with intent to manufacture/sell/deliver a Schedule VI controlled substance, two counts of felony possession of a stolen firearm, misdemeanor injury to real property, and misdemeanor interfere with emergency communication.

Meece admitted to his status as a habitual felon and Judge Anna Mills Wagoner sentenced him to a minimum of 50 months to a maximum of 72 months in prison.

On March 17, 2016, a deputy with the Rowan County Sheriff’s Office observed a vehicle traveling southbound on Interstate 85 with an expired registration. The deputy activated his blue lights and the vehicle pulled over.

The deputy immediately smelled a strong odor of marijuana and the driver, identified as John Meece, said he had smoked marijuana earlier but there was none in the vehicle. When Meece exited the vehicle, the deputy noticed a large bulge in his pocket, which was later determined to be four plastic bags containing marijuana.

On March 25, 2016, deputies responded to a residence for a report of a breaking and/or entering where firearms and jewelry had been stolen. The deputy noticed a pry mark on the back door of the house and on the gun safe. In April 2016, detectives with the Rowan County Sheriff’s Office determined Meece had sold the stolen firearms to another individual. Meece admitted to selling the guns for $200 and said he traded the money for heroin.

On April 4, 2016, officers with the Landis Police Department responded to a residence. The caller said she was in her bathroom and heard loud knocking. When she walked into her living room, Meece and his girlfriend were there. When the victim tried to call 911, Meece grabbed her phone from her hand and then left.

Meece was previously convicted of felony possession of cocaine, felony larceny, and felony possession of marijuana, among other convictions.

Rowan County District Attorney Brandy Cook said she appreciated the work of Assistant District Attorney Tim Gould in the prosecution of the cases, as well as the Salisbury Police Department, the Rowan County Sheriff’s Office and the Landis Police Department.

During another hearing, Levi Dewayne Pruitt, 45, of Salisbury was convicted on May 2 of felony attempted trafficking in opium and felony possession of cocaine. Judge Anna Mills Wagoner sentenced Pruitt to a minimum of 30 months to a maximum of 45 months in prison, along with a consecutive active prison sentence of a minimum of eight months to a maximum of 19 months.

Officials said on Nov. 19, 2015, detectives with the Salisbury Police Department used a confidential informant to buy 20 hydrocodone pills from Pruitt. On Feb. 26, 2016, detectives with the Salisbury Police Department were in the process of serving warrants on Pruitt, however, he was in the bathroom in a house where detectives found a plastic bag containing cocaine in the toilet of that bathroom.

Cook said she appreciated the joint effort on behalf of Assistant District Attorney Tim Gould and the Salisbury Police Department in this case.