ROCKINGHAM — Deputies with the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office made arrests in two break-ins during the morning hours of Oct. 15.
Austin Wade Lester, 26, of Wadesboro, is accused of breaking into a residence on Seaboard Street in East Rockingham on Oct. 15.
When a deputy with the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office showed up to investigate, Lester allegedly fled on foot after being given multiple commands to stop.
The arresting deputy alleges in the warrant that he had to chase Lester 200-300 yards through the woods in rough terrain.
The warrant seems to indicate that other suspects were being investigated.
Lester is charged with one misdemeanor count each of breaking and entering and resisting a public officer and is being held without bond in the Richmond County Jail. He is scheduled to appear in court Oct. 29.
According to his release order, Lester has a history of failing to appear in court and has pending charges in Anson County.
Online court records show Lester was charged with breaking and entering and felony larceny in July of 2024. Two months later, Lester was convicted on the larceny charge and the other was dismissed as part of a plea agreement.
Lester was charged with a probation violation in that case on Nov. 21, 2025, but records show no probable cause was found. He was charged with another probation violation earlier this year and failed to appear in court in March.
Deputies have also charged 31-year-old Samuel Russell Smith II and 47-year-old Stephanie Marie Armstong in connection to a break-in on Lincoln Avenue, off of Mizpah Road. Smith was arrested on a magistrate’s order and Armstrong was arrested on a warrant.
(NOTE: No photo was available for Armstrong from the jail website at the time of writing.)
Each is charged with one count of misdemeanor breaking and entering. Smith was given a $7,500 secured bond and Armstrong is being held on a $1,500 secured bond. They are scheduled to appear in court Oct. 29.
In addition to the 2024 conviction, records with the N.C. Department of Adult Correction show Lester was convicted in 2022 of larceny after breaking and entering in Union County.
Records show Smith is currently on probation, having been convicted in August on charges of attempted felony larceny and injury to personal property to obtain nonferrous metals from earlier this year, as well as misdemeanor larceny and possession of stolen goods from2025 and two counts of misdemeanor larceny from 2024.
Armstrong appears to have no prior convictions in this state.
All defendants facing criminal charges are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
