The Daily News
JACKSONVILLE, N.C. — A man accused of assaulting a detention officer remains in custody at the Onslow County Detention Center.
Leland Ulonzo Pierce, 23, of N. College Street in Charlotte, is accused of striking detention officer Michael Ilvento in the face with his right hand while in the Onslow County Jail on Monday, cutting the left side of Ilvento’s face in two places, which required stitches, according to warrants.
Pierce had a first appearance in district court on Tuesday. He was represented by Ernie Wright and his preliminary hearing was set for July 2, according to court documents.
He was being held in the Polk Corrections facility but was being brought back from Polk to the Onslow County detention facility this week to be held in anticipation of a motion for appropriate release Pierce had filed.
Pierce filed a motion, Wright said, that certain errors were committed during his 2009 trial. It is scheduled to be heard the week of June 24.
“Officer Ilvento and another officer were moving (Pierce) out of the cell block into another location,” Onslow County Sheriff Ed Brown said. “Then for no reason whatsoever, he just charged him.”
Brown said Ilvento needed 14 stitches around his eye. Though Ilvento is shaken up, he is not out of commission, Brown reported.
Pierce was convicted in October 2009 for robbery with a dangerous weapon, conspiracy to commit robbery with a dangerous weapon and attempted robbery with a dangerous weapon for an offense on July 24, 2008, according to North Carolina Department of Public Safety records. He was also convicted for robbery with a dangerous weapon and conspiracy to commit robbery with a dangerous weapon for an offense on July 26, 2008.
He was also convicted in April 2008 in the county of Mecklenburg for possession of Schedule VI, a misdemeanor. He was given probation.
Bond was set at $15,000.