SMITHFIELD, NC – A joint investigation by authorities in North Carolina and Florida has led to the arrest of a Smithfield woman accused of defrauding an elderly victim. Denise Shante Pugsley, 31, of Brogden School Road, was taken into custody on December 19 and charged with obtaining property by false pretenses. The case is the result of a collaborative effort between the Johnston County (NC) Sheriff’s Office and the Lee County (Florida) Sheriff’s Office, who have been investigating the scheme since October 2024.