SOUTHPORT, NC (WECT) – A Southport Police employee was arrested and charged Saturday with two counts of felony disseminating obscenity and two counts of impersonating law enforcement, according to the Brunswick County Sheriff's Office.
According to the warrants, Buntyn is accused of sending obscene cell phone pictures to someone named Margaret Spivey. He also reportedly told two people he was a member of sworn-in law enforcement.
Anthony Early Buntyn, 45, is being held at the detention center as of Saturday night under a $10,000 bond.
Buntyn has held several positions at the Southport Police Department. He was a chaplain for the department at one time, but most recently served as a desk clerk for the police department.
Buntyn is also listed online as an active member of an Oak Island church he founded called Azuza Ministries International, according to the website http://azuzamin.com.
While the church's website lists the current address as 222 Country Club Drive in Oak Island, there is no church at that location. The building is now being used as a gift shop. The owner of Lillie's Treasure Box said she moved in after the church moved out almost 18 months ago.
"I found it odd that [the church] would have a building that looked like this on the inside and then to have them just pick up and go I found it questionable," said Lillie Jamerson. She said she was not told anything about where the church might have gone and was shocked by the condition of the building when she found it.
"It was awful, I wouldn't even come down and sit in this building, that's how nasty it was," said Jamerson. "We came in and we pulled up tiles, I worked here two months before we opened the doors."
Jamerson said right after she moved in, people came to the shop looking for the church and items they had donated to the group. Jamerson says she never found anything.
The Chief of the Southport Police Department, Jerry Dove, said following Buntyn's arrest, he has been suspended without pay.
Dove said the charges have "all been a shock" and went on to say "If these allegations are true, he forgot what we believe and what we stood for in Southport."
Dove said he couldn't comment further on the charges against Buntyn, because his department did not conduct the investigation, and it's a personnel matter.
The sheriff's office is currently investigating, and WECT.com is working to get clarification about the charges against Buntyn.
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Anthony Earl Buntyn (Source: Brunswick County Sheriff's Office)
Lillie's Treasure Box, located at 222 Country Club Drive
