Warren, who served as Newton Grove's police chief since 2019, was previously charged in January with secret peeping and indecent liberties involving a minor. He was arrested on Jan. 7 after being accused of sex crimes that prosecutors say occurred in 2023.
According to arrest warrants, Warren is now accused of possessing 46 grams of a mixture containing oxycodone and an AR-style short-barreled rifle without a serial number. Under North Carolina law, such a firearm qualifies as a weapon of mass destruction.
Warren was initially charged with seven felonies related to allegations that he entered a minor's bedroom and took photographs of her while she was sleeping. Prosecutors say the images were stored in a hidden folder on his phone and later discovered on an iPad linked to the device.
Special prosecutor Donna Rainwater said during a court hearing on Jan. 8 that the victim was unaware the photos had been taken.
"The photographs were held in a hidden folder on the defendant's phone," Rainwater said at the time. "She was very upset, obviously, when she saw the photos."
Prosecutors have said Warren admitted to both family members and law enforcement that he possessed the images. Investigators also reported finding four applications on his phone that one prosecutor described as a "high indicator" of child exploitation.
Rainwater argued during earlier proceedings on January 8th that Warren poses a risk to the community. "To the state, he is a risk, regardless of how long he has lived in this community and regardless of his position in the community," she said.
Warren was placed on leave following his arrest and resigned from his position on Tuesday.
Bond for the new trafficking and weapons charges was set at $500,000.
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