Court documents allege that a photographer for WCTI-TV had worked for an adult business that sheriff deputies say he tipped off.

Eugene Shelton was arrested yesterday for interfering with law enforcement officers.

Shelton and other members of the news media were invited to go along on the raid of Club Mickeys on May 3rd.

But according to an affidavit that was part of a search warrant for Shelton's cell phone, the news photographer told his reporter he would not be able to go on the raid because he knew too many people who frequented the club.

The affidavit says a confidential and reliable informant told investigators that Shelton had a side business capturing video and photographs. The informant told deputies that he has seen footage that Shelton shot inside the nightclub and Shelton even worked for the business.

Deputies say when they arrived at the raid, the manager told them "I knew ya'll were coming, I just got a text message on my phone."

Shelton was released on a $1,000 bond and has been suspended from his job at Channel 12.

Thursday's Story

WCTI-TV has suspended a news photographer after his arrest Thursday.

Eugene Shelton is accused of tipping off people at a nightclub that was about to be raided by sheriff deputies.

The Onslow County Sheriff's Office says Shelton was at a briefing May 3rd just before deputies raided Club Mickey's. Members of the media, including WITN News, were brought into the law enforcement briefing prior to the raid.

Shelton was overheard telling a co-worker "I can't go, I can't go." A few minutes later Shelton was seen texting on his cell phone.

Also the documents say that some of that evidence that was known to be in the club and was being sought during the raid, was not at the club and had been moved shortly before the deputies arrival.

A sheriff's department spokesman says today's arrest came after they obtained search warrants for Shelton's cell phone records.

The news photographer was released on a $1,000 unsecured bond.

WITN News attempted to reach Shelton, but his cell phone was not accepting any messages.

Shelton is a photographer for WCTI's news bureau in Jacksonville.

Don Fisher, General Manager at WCTI-TV, said the station is saddened by the arrest. Fisher told us the employee has been suspended, and the station is conducting an internal investigation.