WELDON — Carolyn Tyler had enough. She’d been living in her residence for two years, watching the traffic coming and going at a house she alleges deals in prostitution and drugs. She complained to the police; she complained to her neighbors; she complained to the people living in the house. She complained to the media.

As Carolyn Tyler stands on her porch on Green Street, in Weldon, you can see a brick house over her shoulder. This is where residents in the neighborhood claim inhabitants of the house allegedly deal in prostitution and drugs. Roger Bell | The Daily Herald Advertisement

Earlier this week, her complaints led to the culmination of an undercover investigation by the Halifax County Sheriff’s Office. Lt. Chuck Hasty and two drug agents from the Kinston Police Department arrested Deavon Barrett after she approached an undercover officer from the house on Elm Street and allegedly solicited sex from the officer.

“Deavon just got out of jail,” Tyler stated. “She’s been trickin’ there since she was 13-years old.”

Tyler’s allegations, she said, came from a conversation she had with Barrett not too long ago. But Tyler is just pleased somebody is finally doing something about the house.

“It’s a start,” Tyler said. “It shouldn’t have had to take me going over somebody’s head to get the job done. As long as they’re doing their job, I’m fine.”

This is the first time in a long time Tyler’s felt fine. Her house sits very close to Elm Street and she grew tired over the years of seeing traffic stopping in front of the house while women approached the cars and got inside. She grew concerned over the health hazards and the traffic hazards, not to mention the cars turning around in her yard.

Tyler shared, “I have the traffic to deal with. One night I had an incident where a guy was just sitting under my carport waiting for one of the girls. I told him I was going to blast him.”

Tyler, who said she does not own a gun, has felt provoked by the alleged patrons of the house for quite some time. “Nobody should have to live like this,” Tyler said.

Tyler recalled one incident where she actually called a trucking company to report one of their drivers repeatedly soliciting sex at the house. Calls to the trucking company by The Daily Herald did not yield comment.

In addition to the prostitution, Tyler alleged people use the house for drug consumption, including the truck drivers. Such use presents a serious threat to public safety, according to Tyler.

“He (a trucker using drugs from the house) could kill my whole family,” Tyler insisted. “He could kill your family, he could kill a whole bunch of people driving on that stuff.”

“I drove 18-wheelers for 39 years,” said William Tyler, Carolyn’s husband. “You don’t need that stuff in your system.”

Tyler also expressed concern over the criminal element she says frequents the house.

With so many people involved in so much, allegedly, concentrated at one place, Tyler worries violence could erupt. “After a while you’re going to be taking pictures of a homicide,” Tyler stated.  “That’s what’s going to happen over there to get somebody’s attention.”

The Halifax Sheriff’s Office operation has given Tyler some hope, but so far she hasn’t noticed much change. “Deavon’s in jail and it’s still moving out there,” Tyler stated. “But as long as they’re doing something. I just want safety.”