GREENVILLE, N.C. — A Greenville woman is speaking out after deputies mistakenly raided her apartment over suspected drug activity.
Barbara Gaskins says the raid at Clubway Apartments on October 28th was terrifying, particularly for her children, who witnessed her being handcuffed. She now faces eviction despite no charges being filed.
“A complete shock. To this day, I have not slept. Every time I hear sirens, I’m like, ‘What’s next?’” Gaskins said.
The Pitt County Drug Task Force executed the raid based on an informant’s tip, but no drugs or illegal items were found. Sheriff Paula Dance apologized, explaining that the incident resulted from a mistaken apartment number.
“The number that was given just so happened to be a terrible coincidence. It looked horrible, but I can tell you at this point, I’m satisfied that my office was not weaponized,” Dance said.
Gaskins expressed concern about the impact on her children: “Their first interaction with police has been seeing their mother in handcuffs on a bogus charge.”
Neighbor Charis Blunt called the raid shocking and urged residents to stand up for their rights.
Following the raid, Clubway Apartments issued Gaskins an eviction notice, citing their no-drug policy. Gaskins believes the eviction may be retaliatory, as she has previously raised concerns about living conditions.
Sheriff Dance insists the raid was an unfortunate coincidence and not an example of law enforcement being weaponized. Clubway Apartments has not responded to multiple requests for comment.
