Two charged with breaking COVID-19 rules after sheriff busts music festival in NC field
An event promoter and a property owner face criminal charges after sheriff’s deputies were called to an “unsanctioned music festival” in rural North Carolina over the weekend, according to local law enforcement.
Almost 1,000 people were expected to attend, though when deputies arrived, there were more than 125 people, the Orange County Sheriff’s Office said Thursday in a news release.
Karl Wilkins and Patricia Roberts were charged with violating Gov. Roy Cooper’s executive order requiring certain COVID-19 safety precautions — a misdemeanor, the news release said.
Wilkins is the owner of V Block Entertainment, which promoted the event, and Roberts is accused of renting out the land where the event was held on Saturday, the sheriff’s office said.
Under North Carolina’s Phase 3 executive order, music halls and entertainment venues with seating are allowed to be open, but must comply with mass gathering limits of 25 people indoors and 50 outdoors.
Cooper and Dr. Mandy Cohen, secretary of the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services, have pushed for local law enforcement to help enforce COVID-19 rules as case numbers across the state rise.
Officials sent letters last week to 36 counties where the virus is spreading quickly. The letters suggest they enforce stricter measures, such as fines or orders to temporarily shut downs businesses that present a safety threat. Other suggested actions could include lowering mass gathering limits or stopping the sale of alcohol earlier than the current time of 11 p.m.
Wake County received one of the letters, but Orange County did not.
“We’re hoping all of that can help us stem the tide that we see coming at us,” Cooper said at a news conference Oct. 21.
Noise complaints prompt call
On Saturday, the sheriff’s office said multiple noise complaints prompted deputies to visit a field off Highway 70 West in Efland, about 45 minutes northwest of Raleigh.
Deputies found more than 125 people attending OxFest Music Festival, the release said. It was advertised online as a “family friendly benefit concert in aid of family homelessness” with tickets costing between $20 and $25 in advance.
“Organizers reportedly expected 1,000 people to be in attendance; 300 tickets were sold at the gate,” the sheriff’s office said.
The event was hosted by Coco Filipina, the host of “The Culture” show every Sunday from 3 to 6 p.m. on 97.9FM, according to the radio station’s website.
Pictures of the event shared on social media showed a few dozen people in the crowd, many of whom weren’t wearing masks.
This story was originally published October 29, 2020 at 8:31 PM with the headline "Two charged with breaking COVID-19 rules after sheriff busts music festival in NC field."
