Eastern District of North Carolina

RALEIGH, N.C. – Tyzheem Nixon, 27, of Wilmington, was sentenced on Friday to 114 months in prison for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Nixon is a validated member of the Bloods street gang. He pled guilty to the charge on September 15, 2022.

“We are working closely with our law enforcement partners at every level to put violent criminals behind bars,” said Michael Easley. “If you are a felon in possession of a firearm, we will bring federal charges that carry significant penalties.”

“Disrupting drug trafficking networks has a significant impact on reducing violent gun crime”, said Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Special Agent in Charge Bennie Mims. “Through collaborative efforts, we are stopping the gang members and drug traffickers responsible for violent crime in our communities.”

“Mr. Nixon is a career criminal and validated gang member with a very violent history,” said District Attorney Ben David. “Removing him from our community for the next decade is exactly why we invest in this partnership.”

According to court documents and other information presented in court, the New Hanover County Sheriff’s Office received information in late November of 2020, that Nixon was among those involved in a shooting in the Wilmington area. At the time, Nixon was on post supervision release and was believed to have removed his ankle monitor.  On December 17, 2020, the United States Marshal’s Service (USMS) Fugitive Task Force received information regarding Nixon’s location.  The USMS and sheriff’s deputies conducted a traffic stop on a car in which Nixon was a passenger.  During a search of the car, law enforcement found a loaded handgun with a large capacity magazine.  

Nixon has prior felony convictions for discharging a weapon into an occupied property and assault with a deadly weapon (2014). Nixon was on post supervision release for these charges at the time he committed this federal offense.  Nixon is also facing charges for felonious possession of a weapon by a prisoner after allegedly possessing a handmade shank while being held at the New Hanover County Detention Center.

This is part of operation “Golfer” which is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and 

dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launders, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.

Michael Easley, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Louise W. Flanagan. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms and the New Hanover and Brunswick County Sheriffs’ Offices investigated the case and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Timothy Severo and Gabe Diaz prosecuted the case.

Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 7:21-CR-00104-D.

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NEW BERN, N.C. – David Leon Autry, III, of Fayetteville was sentenced Wednesday to 235 months in prison for production of child pornography.  Autry, 34, pled guilty to the charge on October 20, 2021. 

According to court documents and other information presented in court, on February 16, 2020, an undercover FBI agent operating out of Albany, New York, was investigating child exploitation activity on the Kik cellphone messaging application.  The undercover joined a Kik group that was known to be frequented by people who have a sexual interest in children and created a post about a fictitious nine-year-old daughter.  Shortly thereafter, a user later identified as Autry sent a private message to the undercover asking, “Any pics vids.”  Autry proceeded to explain that his favorite age range was 6-13 years old and that he watched a large amount of child pornography.  Autry also sent the undercover multiple videos in which adult males sexually abused infants.  At the undercover agent’s request, Autry provided a photograph of himself as well as an email address and other social media information.  FBI then identified Autry through administrative subpoenas.

On March 18, 2020, FBI agents located Autry at his place of work in Fayetteville to execute a search warrant on his cell phone.  Autry denied having a cell phone on him.  He then said that he needed to use the restroom, and when he turned to leave, agents spotted a black cell phone in his back pocket.  Agents seized the phone, and Autry attempted to wrestle it from them before being brought to the ground and handcuffed. 

A forensic analyst uncovered over 100 files of child sexual abuse material on the phone, including 45 unique videos.  Investigators discovered that Autry himself had created numerous files by taking screenshots of his activity on an anonymous video chat application.  In these images, Autry video chats with girls who appear to be as young as 11, as they display their genitals and engage in other sexual activity.

Michael Easley, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Louise W. Flanagan. The Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated the case, which Assistant U.S. Attorney Jake D. Pugh  prosecuted.

Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:21-cr-0030-FL.

RALEIGH, N.C. – A Coats man was sentenced today to 150 months in prison for dealing crystal methamphetamine in 2021.  On October 6, 2022, Richard Gordon Frame, 35, pled guilty to the charges.

According to court documents and other information presented in court, a multi-agency investigation identified that Frame and co-defendant Christopher McNeill (charged separately) were trafficking large quantities of methamphetamine in Harnett County. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives made multiple controlled purchases of 100% pure crystal methamphetamine from Frame who was supplied by McNeill. A total of 194.9 grams of the substance was purchased.

Frame was previously convicted of assault with a deadly weapon, larceny, trespassing, and additional drug possession charges. Details of McNeill’s sentencing in this case and prior conviction information can be found here.

Michael Easley, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge James C. Dever III. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, Coats Police Department, Dunn Police Department, Harnett County Sherriff’s Department, and the State Bureau of Investigation investigated the case and Assistant U.S. Attorney Casey L. Peaden  prosecuted the case.

Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:22-cr-00174-D-BM.

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RALEIGH, N.C. – Sanda G. Frimpong, 33, was arrested Wednesday upon the unsealing of a 19-count indictment that included charges of Money Laundering, Fraud, Conspiracy, Aggravated Identity Theft, and Access Device Fraud in connection with multiple interstate and international fraud and money-laundering scams.  Frimpong, an active duty servicemember stationed at Fort Bragg in Fayetteville, faces between up to ten and up to twenty years in prison per count, and potential fines.

“Online romance scams are increasingly targeting lonely, vulnerable, and often elderly victims,” stated US Attorney Michael Easley.  “Our office is committed to seeking justice for fraud victims just as we are to prosecuting those who took advantage of programs intended to help unemployed and underemployed folks who struggled through the COVID-19 pandemic.” 

According to the indictment, Frimpong and other conspirators, engaged in elaborate scams, impersonating romantic love interests, diplomats, customs personnel, military personnel, and other fictitious personas for the purpose of ensnaring their victims by earning their confidence, including promises of romance, sharing of an inheritance or other riches, or other scenarios intended to fraudulently induce the victims to provide money or property to the conspirators.  Frimpong allegedly laundered hundreds of thousands of dollars in proceeds of these frauds through his various bank accounts across state lines and through contacts in Ghana.

Additionally, in a separate scam, according to the indictment, Frimpong and other conspirators fraudulently applied for unemployment assistance in various states, using stolen identities.  This fraud included allegedly obtaining over $100,000 in funds intended for those struggling through the COVID-19 pandemic and made available via the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (the “CARES Act”).

Frimpong was indicted on three counts of money laundering; seven counts of wire fraud; three counts of mail fraud; one count of conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud; three counts of aggravated identity theft; and two counts of access device fraud.  Arraignment before United States District Judge James C. Dever III is scheduled to occur later this year.

Michael Easley, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after United States Magistrate Judge James E. Gates presided over Frimpong’s Initial Appearance.  Defense Criminal Investigative Service is leading the investigation with the assistance of the Department of Labor, Office of the Inspector General, and Assistant U.S. Attorney David G. Beraka is prosecuting the case.

Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 5-23-CR-35-D.

An indictment is merely an accusation. The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.

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NEW BERN, N.C. – Stephan Bullis, the man convicted in the July 1995 bombing at the then Business Telecom, Inc. (BTI) building located in North Raleigh, was resentenced on Friday to 450 months in prison followed by five years of supervised release. Today’s sentence will keep him in prison for an additional 10 years. Bullis, now 58, was originally convicted of six charges related to the incident following a jury trial in February 1996. At the time, he was sentenced to a mandatory life sentence, followed by consecutive terms of 30 years and 235 months. Due to changes in the law, two charges were vacated in September 2022, leaving only the 235-month sentence standing. At that time, the Court set the matter for resentencing.

“Stephan Bullis caused terror in the Raleigh community because the pipe bomb at BTI came only a few short months after the Oklahoma City bombing and at a time when the infamous ‘Unabomber’ was at large,” said U.S. Attorney Michael Easley. “At the original sentencing, the Judge noted the heinous nature of the crime, the number of victims and potential victims, as well as the defendant’s lack of remorse. The defendant knowingly risked harm to countless individuals and inflicted psychological trauma on numerous others. This new sentence holds Bullis accountable for his horrific actions and keeps him behind bars where he belongs.”

According to court documents and other information presented in court, Bullis mailed two pipe bombs on or around Friday, July 7, 1995. The first package, addressed to his then wife – an employee of BTI, detonated when she opened it on Monday, July 10, 1995. The explosion destroyed most of his wife’s left hand, a portion of her upper right arm and caused numerous cuts, burns and bruises across her body. The bomb also injured a nearby colleague. The second bomb was found in an out-of-service United States Postal Service Collection bin located at Crabtree Valley Mall on July 25, 1995. The second bomb was found 10 days after the arrest of Bullis, who did nothing to warn authorities of the second pipe bomb package even though it was in a public space where an explosion had the potential to injure numerous individuals.

Evidence presented at trial showed that Mr. Bullis had begun an affair with a clerk at a video rental store and had recently increased the payout on his wife’s life insurance policy. In the months before the bombing, he began purchasing books such as “The Poor Man’s James Bond” and “The Anarchist Cookbook,” which both include designs and instructions for making explosive devices. In the month immediately before the attack, Bullis learned that his wife’s company had increased her work-funded life insurance policy and included a double-indemnity clause in the event of an accidental death. Statements made by Bullis indicated that he believed the accidental death needed to occur while his wife was at work for the double indemnity clause to apply.

Several victims of the bombing incident, including the defendant’s former wife and co-workers who were present, spoke or provided statements at the resentencing recounting the physical and psychological impacts of the crime that they experience to this day. As one victim impact statement said, “He acted with total disregard for all the people that would forever be affected by this crime…”

Bullis was convicted of six counts including two counts of mailing a pipe bomb with intent to kill another, one count of arson resulting in injury to another person, one count of attempted arson and two counts of use of a destructive device during a crime of violence. Bullis’ conviction has been upheld by the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals and the U.S. Supreme Court declined to review the case.

Michael Easley, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Louise W. Flanagan. The United States Postal Inspection Service, the Bureau of Alcohol, Firearms, Tobacco and Explosives (ATF), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Raleigh Police Department originally investigated the case and Assistant U.S. Attorney Dennis Duffy and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Casey Peaden handled the resentencing.

Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:95-CR-00142-FL.

NEW BERN, N.C. –Leann Little, 37, of Lumberton was sentenced yesterday to 75 months in prison for drug and money laundering crimes for providing contraband to inmates in North Carolina prisons. Little previously pled guilty to the charges.

In December of 2019, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the North Carolina Department of Public Safety (NCDPS) initiated an investigation involving the distribution of illicit contraband in prisons throughout North Carolina. The evidence revealed that Little, a former correctional officer and postal contractor, conspired with inmates to send them 45-MDMB-BINACA, a synthetic cannabinoid that is smoked for psychoactive effects. The inmates would place the orders over the phone and use CashApp to pay Little. Little would obtain greeting cards or paper, spray them with liquid 45-MDMB-BINACA and mail them to inmates in state corrections facilities. The cards were then cut into dosage units and consumed or used for currency.

Little pled guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute a quantity of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of 4F-MDMB-BINACA, distributing a quantity of a mixture and sub substance containing a detectable amount of 4F-MDMB-BINACA and money laundering conspiracy.

Michael Easley, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Louise W. Flanagan. The Federal Bureau of Investigation, the North Carolina Department of Public Safety and the United States Postal Inspection Service Office of Inspector General investigated the case and Assistant U.S. Attorney Chad Rhoades prosecuted the case.

Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 7:20-CR-199-FL.

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NEW BERN, N.C. – Kenneth Brown, 41, of Wilmington North Carolina, was sentenced yesterday to 87 months in prison for conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribution of 28 grams or more of cocaine base, five counts of distribution of a quantity of cocaine base and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Brown, a validated member of the United Blood Nation gang, was convicted in 2003 on state charges for shooting at a law enforcement officer and received a sentence of more than 15 years in state prison.

According to court documents, evidence presented in court and other documents, on June 23, 2021, Brown sold 13 grams of cocaine base to an undercover Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) agent in Brunswick County.  During the deal, Brown indicated that he was involved in trafficking guns to New York.  On June 30, 2021, Brown sold an additional 13 grams of cocaine base to the same ATF agent.  Brown and the agent discussed the sale of a firearm.  Brown pulled out a loaded Glock 9mm handgun.  The agent attempted to purchase the gun, but Brown declined to sell it.  Brown indicated that the gun was registered to his girlfriend.  Brown, as a convicted felon, is prohibited from possessing a firearm.  Brown sold the agent 26 grams of cocaine base on August 5 and 18.  During the last deal, Brown did not produce the amount agreed initially so he retrieved some additional cocaine and cooked it into cocaine base.  Brown’s girlfriend who was present during the deal said that Brown was a master crack cooker and she had seen him do on a number of occasions.

On October 9, 2021, law enforcement conducted a traffic stop on a car driven by Brown.  During a search of the car, law enforcement found a loaded HK 9mm handgun.

On March 15, 2022, Brown was arrested on federal charges and found in possession of a revolver.  On March 16, 2022, law enforcement served two search warrants at residences associated with Brown.  During a search at an apartment in Wilmington, law enforcement found a loaded Glock 9mm handgun, a loaded rifle with a large capacity magazine and more than 100 rounds of additional ammunition.  During a search of a different apartment in Wilmington, law enforcement found more than 65 grams of cocaine. 

This is part of operation “Golfer” which is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launders, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.

Michael Easley, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Louise W. Flanagan. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms and the New Hanover and Brunswick County Sheriffs’ Office investigated the case and Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy Severo and Gabe Diaz prosecuted the case.

Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 7:22-CR-00011-FL.

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NEW BERN, N.C. – The ringleader of a multi-state gun trafficking scheme was sentenced today to 127 months in prison for illegally trafficking more than 100 guns bought by straw purchasers in Eastern North Carolina.  Jacintre Holley of Middletown, Connecticut, pled guilty to engaging in the business of dealing firearms without a license, possession with intent to distribute cocaine, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of the drug trafficking crime.  Holley, 26, pled guilty on July 7, 2022. 

“Dangerous felons who are blocked from legally buying guns are turning to gun traffickers and straw purchasers in North Carolina to supply them with the tools to kill,” said U.S. Attorney Michael Easley. “The criminal conduct in this case put guns bought in Eastern North Carolina in the hands of a killer in Connecticut – within 6 days. This case shows exactly why Attorney General Garland and ATF Director Dettelbach have made stopping gun trafficking a top priority.  We and the ATF are relentlessly pursuing violent felons and the gunrunners and straw purchasers who arm them.” 

“A federal firearms license is required for anyone engaged in the business of selling firearms,” said Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Special Agent in Charge Bennie Mims. “Individuals selling without a license often means firearms end up in the wrong hands. By identifying and apprehending those involved in illegal firearms sales, we disrupt the firearms trafficking networks and better protect our communities.”

According to documents and other information presented in court, Holley bought over 100 firearms from straw purchasers in North Carolina—including at least 37 from codefendant Keshawn Squire and another 34 from codefendants Jasnika Craig and Shyheim Williams.  Craig and Williams were romantic partners living together in Williamston, North Carolina.  Ten of these firearms were recovered in separate investigations in Connecticut and New Jersey, including a murder investigation and several drug investigations. 

This gun trafficking investigation began when the Middletown, Connecticut Police Department recovered a Taurus 9mm pistol used in a murder.  A trace of the gun’s serial number showed that Keshawn Squire purchased the firearm in North Carolina on May 10, 2021, only six days before the murder.  Trace records for Squire further showed that he had purchased at least 16 firearms in the five months between December 13, 2020, and May 29, 2021, suggesting potential gun trafficking. 

Surveillance video from Smokin' Barrel Gun and Ammo in Raleigh, where Squire had purchased the Taurus, showed that he made a phone call from the store parking lot immediately after buying the firearm.  Call records revealed that he called a Connecticut phone number.  By comparing phone records and data from a mobile payment application, investigators were able to link the Connecticut phone number to defendant Jacintre Holley.  Records also revealed that Squire and Holley had as a mutual contact a phone number associated with codefendants Jasnika Craig and Shyheim Williams. 

Trace records for Craig showed that she made over 20 firearm purchases in North Carolina since 2020.  Law enforcement recovered one of those guns at a crime scene in Connecticut within five days of its purchase.  Investigators obtained video surveillance from Academy Sports in Greenville for purchases by Craig on May 11 and 14, 2021.  The May 14 footage shows Craig and Williams arrive in the same car.  Williams then went alone into the store for 25 minutes while Craig waited in the car.  Then Craig entered and immediately bought two pistols. 

On July 8, 2021, the North Carolina Department of Public Safety conducted a probation search at Williams’ and Craig’s Williamston home.  Williams was on state probation for a driving while impaired conviction.  Officers found seven firearms hidden in the home. 

Craig agreed to a recorded interview and admitted to selling firearms.  She said she sold firearms for a significant premium over market price and had purchased them from various locations including Academy Sports.  Williams identified the guns she should buy and set up the deals, which took place in Craig’s car in their driveway.  She admitted that almost all firearms went to Holley, who she estimated had come from Connecticut every two weeks since December 2020 to buy around seven firearms each time.  In total, Craig estimated that she had sold around 100 firearms to Holley. 

Also on July 8, 2021, law enforcement executed a search warrant for Squire’s telephone and interviewed Squire at his home.  Squire admitted to selling multiple firearms to Holley in at least three meetings beginning in March 2021.  He said he did this as a business and sold the firearms for significantly higher than the purchase price. 

On July 31, 2021, the Greenville Police Department located Holley driving on University Suites Drive and conducted a traffic stop based on an outstanding warrant.  Officers searched the car and found a Glock 19 pistol with an extended magazine in a bookbag in the front seat.  The pistol had been modified to function as a fully automatic machine gun.  In an iPhone box within the same bag, officers found 109 grams of cocaine, a digital scale with white residue, a Glock magazine, over $13,000, and a key to a room at a Quality Inn.  Officers obtained and executed a search warrant for the hotel room, where they found a Glock .40 caliber pistol.  A trace of Glock .40 revealed that Jasnika Craig had purchased it. 

Investigators interviewed Holley after his arrest.  He confirmed that he had bought firearms from Squire and Williams multiple times over the previous several months and sold those firearms in Connecticut.  He admitted to possessing the Glock from the hotel room, claimed that he carried the automatic Glock machine gun in his car for protection, admitted buying the cocaine while in North Carolina.  He acknowledged sometimes receiving cocaine as payment in firearm transactions.

Michael Easley, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Louise W. Flanagan. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) field offices in Raleigh, NC, New Haven, CT and Hartford, CT investigated the case, with assistance from the Middletown, CT Police Department, the Martin County, NC Sheriff’s Office, the NC Department of Probation Services and the Williamston, NC and Greenville, NC Police Departments.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Jake D. Pugh prosecuted the case.

The court previously sentenced Squire and Craig after they each pled guilty to one count of making a false statement during the purchase of a firearm.  On February 14, 2023, Craig received a 24-month sentence for that offense, and Squire received an 18-month sentence the same day.  Shyheim Williams was arrested federally on February 9, 2023, and his arraignment is set for the April 11, 2023, term of court.

Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 4:22-cr-0019-FL.

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ELIZABETH CITY, N.C. – Darrick Charles, 31, of Wilmington, was sentenced to 210 months in prison for drug trafficking and gun charges. According to law enforcement, Charles was a high-ranking member of the United Blood Nation in Wilmington. Charles was ultimately apprehended by U.S. Marshals in Leland following a high-speed chase.

“Putting a stop to this high-ranking gang member’s criminal conduct is a victory for the citizens of Eastern North Carolina,” said U.S. Attorney Michael Easley.  “Charles recklessly led police a high-speed chase through a residential neighborhood, then fled with a stolen gun.  Today’s sentence is a warning.  You gamble with your life and your future when you deal in gangs, guns, and drugs.” 

According to court documents, evidence presented in court, and other documents, between February 12, 2020, and June 2, 2020, law enforcement made five controlled purchases of heroin from Charles in Wilmington.  During a sale on February 19, 2020, Charles possessed a 9mm handgun while he sold a confidential informant a quantity of heroin. On February 24, 2020, law enforcement also purchased a handgun from Charles, who said during the deal that the buyer did not have to worry about the gun being stolen because his girlfriend is able to purchase them legally.  Charles is prohibited from possessing firearms because of a prior conviction for manufacturing, selling, distributing, or possessing a controlled substance within 1,000 feet of a school and possession with intent to distribute heroin. 

On June 4, 2020, law enforcement served a search warrant at Charles’ residence in Brunswick County.  Law enforcement found three firearms and materials used for the distribution of heroin. An arrest warrant was ordered by the court for his failure to comply with his conditions of release for the previous charges.

On April 4, 2021, U.S. Marshals located Charles operating a vehicle in Leland, NC and attempted to stop him.  Charles refused to stop and fled, driving in excess of 95 miles per hour in a residential area until he stopped near a wooded area and fled on foot.  Charles was apprehended by the Marshals following a foot chase.  While fleeing, Charles threw down a quantity of heroin and a loaded, stolen handgun. During the course of the investigation, law enforcement uncovered that Charles had made trips to 

New Jersey and Greensboro to pick up heroin to be distributed in Eastern North Carolina.    

On July 6, 2022, Charles pled guilty to five counts of distribution of a quantity of heroin, possession with intent to distribute a quantity of heroin, two counts of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and two counts of possession of a firearm during and in relation to a drug-trafficking crime.

This is part of “Operation Golfer,” which is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launders, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.

Michael Easley, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Terrence W. Boyle. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the U.S. Marshals Service, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Wilmington Police Department, and the New Hanover and Brunswick County Sheriffs’ Offices  investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Timothy Severo and Gabe Diaz  prosecuted the case.

Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 7:21-cr-00120-BO-1.

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RALEIGH, N.C. – A Harnett County man was sentenced to 180 months in prison for dealing methamphetamine.  On October 6, 2022, Christopher Wayne McNeill pled guilty to the charges.

According to court documents and other information presented in court, a multi-agency investigation identified that Christopher Wayne McNeill, 49, was trafficking kilograms of methamphetamine in Harnett County. Law enforcement made four controlled purchases of methamphetamine involving McNeill. Through their investigation, law enforcement determined McNeill was supplying other distributors with methamphetamine.

McNeill pled guilty to conspiracy to distribute more than fifty grams of methamphetamine and distributing more than five grams of methamphetamine. He has previous felony convictions for assault with a deadly weapon (1994) and breaking and entering (2014) as well as a felony drug conviction (2021).

Michael Easley, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge James C. Dever III. The Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms, Coats Police Department, Dunn Police Department, Harnett County Sherriff’s Department, and the State Bureau of Investigation investigated the case and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Casey L. Peaden prosecuted the case.

Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:22-CR-174-1D.

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WILMINGTON, N.C. – A Brunswick County man was sentenced today to 720 months in prison, followed by five years of supervised release for possessing and trading child pornography. The prison sentence imposed is the statutory maximum allowed for the crimes. Craig Connors Schenck, 39, of Saint James, North Carolina pled guilty on March 8, 2022 to Receipt of Child Pornography, Distribution of Child Pornography and Possession of Child Pornography.  Schenk was also ordered to pay $105,000 in restitution and was ordered to pay a special assessment of $15,000.

According to court documents and other information presented in court, Craig Connors Schenck, 39 was investigated by the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation (SBI) after Google notified the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children a user had uploaded images of child pornography.  The email address used by the individual contained Schenck’s first initial and last name.  The IP address associated with the uploaded illegal material was being leased to Schenck’s parents with whom Schenck lived. The cybertip was classified as a priority because it was believed Schenck may have been employed in a capacity which gave him access to children.

The SBI executed a search warrant at Schenck’s residence the same day the cybertip was received.  Schenck admitted to law enforcement that he was given a thumb drive in 2007 that had child pornography on it.  He admitted to being a part of online platforms where child pornography was traded.  Schenck also admitted that for some time he had been employed with various companies who cared for cognitively impaired children.  Schenck’s digital devices were seized and analyzed by the SBI.

During the forensic analysis of Schenck’s digital devices nearly 1,500 images and over 600 videos that depicted child sexual abuse material were discovered.  In addition to images, agents located a number of chats in various social media platforms, wherein Scheck discussed the sexual abuse of children, traded child pornography images and described graphic sexual fantasies.  Agents also found child pornography images of a child that, in chats with other individuals online, Schenck admitted to producing.  The child was identified as a child with whom Schenck had worked in the course of his employment. 

Michael Easley, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after the sentencing was concluded.  Chief U.S. District Judge Richard E. Myers II presided over the sentencing.  North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation investigated the case and Assistant U.S. Attorney Charity Wilson prosecuted the case.

Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 7:21-CR-00012-M.

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NEW BERN, N.C. – Darren Kalmar of Fayetteville was sentenced today to 188 months in prison for two counts of receipt of child pornography.  Kalmar, 58, pled guilty to the charge on May 13, 2022.

According to court documents and other information presented in court, in 2019, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) received two CyberTip reports from a social networking platform, Tagged, regarding suspected child exploitation activity.  The CyberTips concerned activity in May 2019 between two users who discussed arranging for sex with minors abroad.  One user, later identified as Kalmar, mentioned having sex with a 13-year-old Dominican girl and asked the other person to arrange contact with a girl who was nine or 10 years old.  The other responded with a photo that appeared to depict a prepubescent female, and Kalmar responded, “perfect, I want her.”  They negotiated prices, settling on $90 for nude photos and $250 for access to the child for five days.  He provided a CashApp payment username that contained “kalmar” and an email address with username dskalmar32.  At the end of the conversation, Kalmar states that he sent the money and that he needs the photos now before asking the second user, “You get the money and run[?]”

The IP address for the second user was traced to a woman in Jamaica.  Kalmar’s IP was tracked to a residence in Fayetteville, and DMV records showed that the defendant Darren Kalmar resided there.  Law enforcement compared Kalmar’s driver’s license photo to a user profile photo on his Tagged account and found that they matched. 

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) executed a search warrant on Kalmar’s home on October 18, 2019.  On Kalmar’s cellphone, agents found audio files in which Kalmar appeared to be discussing upcoming travel to the Philippines for sex with a 15-year-old minor female and her friends.  FBI confirmed that Kalmar had purchased tickets to travel to the Philippines on those dates.  Records also showed Kalmar had previously traveled to Cambodia and the Philippines in 2018. 

Kalmar agreed to be interviewed and admitted to owning the Tagged account and chatting with someone in Jamaica.  He also confirmed that the CashApp account was his but claimed the conversation arranging a sexual encounter with a minor was merely fantasy. 

FBI conducted forensics on Kalmar’s computer and several mobile devices.  On a cellphone they found 21 images depicting child sexual abuse material (CSAM), and on a computer they found an additional 401 images and 11 videos of CSAM.  The files included minors under the age of 12. 

Michael Easley, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Louise W. Flanagan. The FBI investigated the case, which Assistant U.S. Attorney Jake D. Pugh  prosecuted.

Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:22-cr-00013-FL.

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RALEIGH, N.C. – A Maxton man was sentenced today to 252 months in prison for his role in a drug trafficking conspiracy responsible for moving kilograms of methamphetamine, cocaine, and heroin from Mexico to Robeson County, North Carolina.  On December 8, 2021, Jeremiah Eli Lowery pled guilty to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, cocaine, and heroin, and possession of methamphetamine, cocaine, and heroin with intent to distribute.

“Deputies caught this drug trafficker bringing kilos of dope from Mexico to North Carolina,” said U.S. Attorney Michael Easley. “Now he faces the consequences of his repeated and persistent participation in the international drug trade. Today’s sentence should serve as a deterrent to others pushing drugs in our communities. We will investigate and prosecute you.”

According to court documents and other information presented in court, Lowery, 26, was identified during a multi-year investigation as a primary point of contact for a group of individuals who were trafficking kilograms of controlled substances from Mexico, through legal ports of entry, into the Brownsville, Texas area.  Investigators learned that Lowery would travel to Texas, cross the border to meet with suppliers, and then personally transport kilograms of drugs across the border and ultimately back to Robeson County where the drugs would be sold.

On October 14, 2020, the Robeson County Sheriff’s Office conducted a traffic stop on a rental vehicle occupied by Lowery and two other individuals as they returned from Texas.  Investigators located 2.3 kilograms of methamphetamine, 2.98 kilograms of cocaine, 967.7 grams of heroin, and more than $58,000 in U.S. Currency inside the spare tire of the vehicle. 

In the spring of 2021, investigators began to receive information that Lowery had resumed travelling to Texas to pick up controlled substances from the same suppliers.  Through coordination with the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and Customs and Border Patrol, Lowery was stopped at a border checkpoint near Brownsville, Texas on the way back into the United States from Mexico on April 8, 2021.  After a canine alerted to the presence of narcotics within the vehicle, officers recovered 2.8 kilograms of cocaine and 1.8 kilograms of methamphetamine from the spare tire. 

Michael Easley, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge James C. Dever III. The Robeson County Sheriff’s Office, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives investigated the case and Assistant U.S. Attorney Caroline Webb prosecuted the case.

Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 7:21-CR-59-D-1.

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NEW BERN, N.C. – A federal jury convicted a Texas man on Friday on charges of cyberstalking.

According to court records and evidence presented at trial, Christopher Kevin Morris, 45, attempted to ruin the life of a victim in the Eastern District of North Carolina, as well as harass two other victims elsewhere.  Morris attempted to defame his North Carolina victim by creating a fake LinkedIn profile describing the victim as a child molester and rapist, sending emails to co-workers pretending to be a respected colleague alleging that the victim was a convicted child molester, and sending emails to co-workers pretending to be the victim that used racist language.  In addition, Morris sent harassing and confrontational emails to each of the victims using a variety of email accounts implying that he was watching them or their family, calling them inappropriate things, and using racist and offensive language.  He sent a message to one of the victims saying, “dead man walking.”  Finally, Morris attempted to ruin the life of the North Carolina victim by posting source code on the public internet on multiple occasions, code that the victim worked extensively on for six years and was worth millions of dollars.  Morris engaged in this criminal conduct after making inappropriate comments to the North Carolina victim in a forum public to other employees and, after refusing to apologize for his conduct, was removed from his job.    

Morris faces a maximum sentence of 60 months in prison, a $250,000 fine, and three years of supervised release when sentenced in May 2023.

Michael Easley, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Louise W. Flanagan accepted the verdict.  The case was investigated by the FBI and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Brad DeVoe.

A copy of this press release is located on our website. Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No.5:21-CR-370-FL.

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RALEIGH, N.C. – Albert Eugene Miller, Jr., 58, and Jonathan Fleming, 60, both pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to commit wire fraud for fraudulently obtaining Paycheck Protection Act (“PPP”) COVID-19 loans. They each face up to 20 years in prison.

“These two defendants, along with their network of co-conspirators, took taxpayer money meant to help struggling small businesses during a global pandemic,” said U.S. Attorney Michael Easley. “We are investigating and prosecuting those who steal from public programs intended to keep legitimate businesses afloat.”

According to each charged criminal information, both defendants conspired with Edward Whitaker, Schunda Coleman, and others to obtain fraudulent PPP loans on behalf of their respective businesses.  Whitaker and Coleman pled guilty on January 19, 2023 for their role in operating a nation-wide scheme to help people across the country commit millions of dollars of PPP fraud.

According to charging documents and information summarized in court, Whitaker and Coleman created fraudulent supporting documents and applications for PPP loans which they provided to Miller and Fleming in exchange for 25% of the total loan proceeds.  The fraudulent applications falsified the number of employees and gross wages being paid prior to the COVID pandemic, in order to help qualify for PPP loans.  Following the disbursement of the PPP loans, Whitaker allegedly instructed Miller and Fleming as to how to make it appear that the PPP loans were being paid out to employees, when in reality the money was transferred back to Miller and Fleming, respectively.  The fraudulent payroll records were then allegedly submitted to the Small Business Administration (SBA) to obtain 100% loan forgiveness.

Late last year, Quentin Jackson pled guilty in the same conspiracy which included the recruitment of numerous individuals (such as Miller and Fleming) in the Eastern District of North Carolina to use Whitaker and Coleman to obtain fraudulent PPP funds.

“The Paycheck Protection Program was designed to help small businesses facing financial difficulties during the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Donald “Trey” Eakins, Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Criminal Investigation Special Agent in Charge in the Charlotte Field Office. “Through our partnership with the U.S. Attorney’s Office and our federal law enforcement partners, IRS Criminal Investigation Special Agents will continue to aggressively pursue individuals who try to exploit federal relief programs for their personal gain.”

The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act was designed to provide emergency financial assistance to the millions of Americans who were economically suffering from the COVID-19 pandemic.  The CARES Act and additional appropriations authorized up to $649 billion in forgivable loans to small businesses through the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP).  Financial institutions issued the PPP loans, which were guaranteed by the SBA.

Michael Easley, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after United States Magistrate Judge Robert T. Numbers II accepted the pleas.  Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Criminal Investigation is leading the investigation, and Assistant U.S. Attorney David G. Beraka is prosecuting the cases.

Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case Nos. 5:22-cr-00290-D and 5:22-cr-00337.

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WILMINGTON, N.C. – Michael Kwame Hines, 31, of Wilmington, NC, was sentenced today to 90 months in federal prison for two counts of felon in possession of a firearm. On August 11, 2022, Hines pled guilty to the charges.

“Through our ongoing partnership and collaboration with federal, state and local law enforcement, we are able to put dangerous criminals behind bars and make our communities safer,” said U.S. Attorney Michael Easley. “This defendant has decided to illegally possess guns again and again.  Felons in Wilmington and beyond should take warning from Mr. Hines’ case – possessing a gun will get you federal time.”

“I am very proud of our officers for making this arrest and for their continued effort to reduce violent crime on our streets,” said Wilmington Police Chief Donny Williams. “I would like to thank the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the Department of Justice, the ATF, and our other partner agencies both local, state, and federal who continue to work with us to incarcerate violent individuals. We remain committed to combatting gun crime within the Wilmington community and keeping firearms out of the hands of criminals.”

According to court documents and other information presented in court, in February of 2021, members of the Wilmington Police Department received several complaints regarding narcotics sales and people with firearms on the porch of a residence on Meares Street. Officers conducted surveillance on the residence over several days and it was apparent that drug transactions were being conducted. On February 27, 2021, officers approached the residence and made contact with Michael Hines, Quemar Wooten, and another individual on the front porch. During their investigation, officers located a stolen firearm in Wooten’s waistband and another firearm underneath a sweatshirt belonging to Hines. Officers searched Hines’ rental vehicle in the driveway and located a digital scale, approximately 41 grams of marijuana, and small Ziplock bags that are typically used to distribute narcotics. Hines was arrested on state charges and subsequently bonded out of jail.

On May 3, 2021, while out on bond for the charges from February 27, Wilmington Police Department officers were conducting surveillance on Hines and witnessed him park his rental car at a grocery store in Wilmington and leave in another vehicle. Officers executed a search warrant on the vehicle and located, a Glock 43 firearm, three magazines of ammunition, and a digital scale with marijuana residue on it. Hines was arrested the next day.

Hines has multiple prior felony convictions, including robbery with a dangerous weapon, and this sentence will represent his third and fourth conviction for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.

On June 24, 2021, Wooten pled guilty to one count of possession of a firearm by a felon and on, October 12, 2022, he was sentenced to 72 months in federal prison.

Michael Easley, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Louise W. Flanagan.  The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), the Wilmington Police Department’s Gun Crime Task Force, the Mobile Field Force Unit, and the Wilmington Police Department investigated the case and Special Assistant United States Attorney William Van Trigt prosecuted the cases. Special Assistant United States Attorney William Van Trigt represents the government.  Van Trigt is a prosecutor with the New Hanover County District Attorney’s Office assigned to the U.S. Attorney’s Office to prosecute federal violent crimes and other criminal matters.  This has been made possible by a grant funded by New Hanover County.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts.  PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime.  Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them.  As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime. 

Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 7:22-cr-00055-FL.

NEW BERN, N.C. – Jermaine Carlton Jones, 45, was sentenced today to 160 months in prison for possession with intent to distribute cocaine and marijuana and being a felon in possession of a firearm.  On February 7, 2022, Jones pled guilty to the charges. Jones is a convicted felon and is considered a Career Offender under federal sentencing law because of previous convictions for violent crimes.

According to court documents and other information presented in court, the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office (FCSO) Drug Unit began an investigation into Jones in October 2020 after responding to a report of a gunshot victim.  When they arrived on scene, officers encountered Jones who stated he had been shot in the head.  During the investigation of the crime scene, officers with FCSO recovered 56.5 grams of cocaine and a loaded 9mm handgun loaded with ammunition.  Thereafter, the FCSO utilized a confidential informant to make four controlled purchases of cocaine from Jones at his residence on Halifax Road in Louisburg, North Carolina.  In January 2021, the FCSO executed a search warrant on that residence and recovered 372 grams of marijuana, 100 grams of cocaine, a digital scale, $10,615 in cash, and a loaded revolver.  On June 2, 2021, the FCSO attempted to serve Jones with a federal arrest warrant based on the above conduct and observed him conduct a hand-to-hand drug transaction.  A later search of Jones’ residence upon his arrest yielded an additional amount of cocaine, cocaine base (crack), and marijuana.

Jones prior convictions include assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill, selling or delivering cocaine, possession with intent to sell or deliver marijuana, and several misdemeanor convictions. 

Michael Easley, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Louise W. Flanagan. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) and the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case and Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert J. Dodson  prosecuted the case.

Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:21-CR-223-FL.

NEW BERN, N.C. – Ronesha Greene-McNeil, 36, of Wilmington North Carolina, was sentenced to 120 months in prison for conspiracy, distribution of methamphetamine, and possession of a sawed-off semiautomatic rifle with a 110-round drum magazine.  

According to court documents and other information presented in court, between April 7, 2021, and May 26, 2021, Greene-McNeil, on five separate occasions sold a total of more than a kilogram of methamphetamine to an undercover Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) agent in Brunswick County North Carolina.  On June 7, 2021, Greene-McNeil also sold a 9mm handgun and a sawed-off .22 caliber semiautomatic rifle with a 110-round drum magazine to undercover ATF agents at the same location in Brunswick County.

On June 23, 2021, Greene-McNeil was stopped in a vehicle she was driving for a traffic violation, and, during a search of her vehicle, Brunswick County Sheriff’s deputies located a kilogram of methamphetamine.

This is part of operation “Golfer” which is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launders, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.

Michael Easley, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Louise W. Flanagan. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms and the New Hanover and Brunswick County Sheriffs’ Office investigated the case and Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy Severo and Gabe Diaz prosecuted the case.

Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 7:22-CR-00025-FL.

NEW BERN, N.C. – David Hedge, 22, of Wilmington North Carolina, was sentenced to 75 months in prison for distribution of methamphetamine and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense, including selling a stolen gun and a privately manufactured firearm, commonly referred to as a “Ghost Gun,” which he bragged did not have any serial numbers and couldn’t be traced by law enforcement.

“Non-serialized ghost guns are increasingly getting into the hands of drug traffickers and contributing to the violence in our communities,” said U.S. Attorney Michael Easley. “Working with the ATF and local law enforcement, we are holding accountable those pushing illegal guns and drugs. The ‘untraceable’ gun the defendant once bragged about has led to a very traceable prison sentence.”

According to court documents and other information presented in court, on September 1, 2021, Hedge sold an ounce of methamphetamine to an undercover Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) agent. The agent asked Hedge if he was armed while he was dealing.  Hedge produced a handgun with a high-capacity magazine loaded with 25 rounds.  Hedge informed the undercover officer that it was a “Ghost Gun,” and described how the gun had been made on a 3-D printer.  The agent purchased the gun from Hedge. On September 8, 2021, Hedge sold the undercover agent 2 loaded firearms, one of which had been reported stolen and almost a half-ounce of methamphetamine.  

This is part of operation “Golfer” which is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launders, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.

Michael Easley, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Louise W. Flanagan. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms and the New Hanover and Brunswick County Sheriffs’ Office investigated the case and Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy Severo and Gabe Diaz prosecuted the case.

Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 7:22-CR-00037-FL.

NEW BERN, N.C. – Naulege Johnson, 24, of Wilmington, was sentenced to 121 months in prison for distribution of 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. He pled guilty to the charge on October 4, 2022.

According to court documents and other information presented in court, on July 8, 2021, Johnson sold 32 grams of methamphetamine to an undercover Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) agent in Brunswick County, North Carolina.  On July 14, 2021, Johnson sold more than 100 grams of actual methamphetamine to the same agent at the same location and more than 160 grams of actual methamphetamine on July 22, 2021. The investigation revealed that Johnson had been validated a member of the United Blood Nation by law enforcement.

Johnson has prior convictions for possession of a stolen firearm (2017) and possession with intent to manufacture, deliver or sell heroin (2020). He was on probation for the heroin charge at the time he committed the current offense.  Johnson also has a pending First-Degree Murder charge in New Hanover County.    

This is part of “Operation Golfer” which is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launders, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.

Michael Easley, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Louise W. Flanagan. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms and the New Hanover and Brunswick County Sheriffs’ Office investigated the case and Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy Severo and Gabe Diaz prosecuted the case.

Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 7:22-CR-00028-FL.

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NEW BERN, N.C. – Two women from Flushing, New York and Wilmington, North Carolina were sentenced today to combined 33 months in prison for their management and involvement in an illicit massage parlor operation between August of 2020 and June of 2021. Ming Ji Cao, sentenced to 18 months and a $1000 fine, and Og Bun Park, sentenced to 15 months and a $750 fine, previously pled guilty to the charges. Both women were also sentenced to three years of supervised release following their release from prison.

According to court documents and other information presented in court, Cao and Park, were arrested as part of a broad undercover operation for attempting to bribe law enforcement officers to provide protection for their massage parlors in Cary and Wilmington, where sexual services were being offered.

The case arose from an investigation led by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) with the assistance of other agencies, which determined that, in addition to the massages, clients were also obtaining sexual services at the parlors. Additionally, an HSI agent began going undercover to meet with Cao, Park, and other individuals who provided bribes to the agent, believing that the bribes would provide protection from law enforcement inquiries at the various massage parlors.

On June 16, 2021, HSI, with the assistance of numerous law enforcement agencies, led a coordinated takedown across four different federal districts that included the execution of search warrants at eight different massage parlors, multiple residences, and the arrest of six individuals, including Cao and Park. Cao and Park are each responsible for coordinating several thousand dollars in bribery payments.

Michael Easley, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Louise W. Flanagan. The Department of Homeland Security–Homeland Security Investigations led the investigation with assistance from the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Wake County Sheriff’s Office, the Durham County Sheriff’s Office, the Cary Police Department, the New Hanover County Sheriff’s Office, the Wilmington Police Department, the Horry County Police Department, the United States Marshals Service, and other state and local investigators , and Assistant U.S. Attorney Bryan M. Stephany  prosecuted the case.

Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 7:21-cr-00079-Fl.

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RALEIGH, N.C. – An altercation near the Federal Courthouse in Elizabeth City landed Tavori Ditron Lindsey 10 years in federal prison after he shot at another man with a handgun and AR-15.  On October 18, 2022, Tavori Ditron Lindsey pled guilty to the charge.

According to court documents and other information presented in court, Lindsey, 36, and another man, Amos Parker, were involved in an early morning shooting on September 5, 2021, at the intersection of East Colonial Avenue and McMorrine Street in Elizabeth City, which is about a block away from the federal courthouse.  Street cameras captured the shooting and showed Parker and Lindsey engage in a verbal altercation with a man outside the Cue, a nearby establishment.  Parker can be seen on video surveillance firing a handgun at another man as he fled the area on foot.  Lindsey can also be seen shooting an AR-15 style rifle at the same man.  The Elizabeth City Police Department (ECPD) quickly responded and noticed damage to a nearby building consistent with gun shots.  Officers recovered several .223 caliber and .45 caliber shell casings in the street where the shooting occurred.  The pair were later arrested by ECPD and charged with state offenses, and they were later indicted in federal court. 

Lindsey is a convicted felon, having prior convictions for common law robbery, second degree kidnapping, and selling or delivering marijuana, as well as several misdemeanor convictions. 

Parker pled guilty to possession of ammunition by a convicted felon on October 18, 2022 was sentenced to 103 months in federal prison on January 18, 2023.

Michael Easley, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Terrence W. Boyle. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Elizabeth City Police Department investigated the case and Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert J. Dodson  prosecuted the case.

Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:21-CR-33-BO.

WILMINGTON, N.C. – A Kings Mountain-based Pagans Motorcycle Club (PMC) member was sentenced today to 330 months in prison for armed drug trafficking. On June 7, 2022, Justin Matthew Fite, also known as “Raw,” pled guilty to the charges. Fite, 31, is one of 20 defendants charged as part of Operation Ice Diamond, which was announced last week, when Christopher Lamar Baker, a national leader of the PMC was sentenced to 75 years (900 months) in prison on drug trafficking, firearm and money laundering charges. The PMC is recognized by law enforcement as an Outlaw Motorcycle Gang (OMG).

The investigation was initiated by members of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Raleigh Police Department into individuals involved in the distribution of firearms and methamphetamine in multiple states. Investigators utilized controlled   purchases, confidential informants, and undercover agents to successfully identify 20 individuals, including Fite and Baker, who were involved in the drug trafficking operation.

“This case is yet another example of the coordinated action that law enforcement is taking to address organized crime and stem the flow of methamphetamine into our community,” said U.S. Attorney Michael Easley. “It should serve as a warning to gangs and other armed drug traffickers.”

“This collaborative effort was aimed at disbanding a violent criminal operation from the top down,” said Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Special Agent in Charge Bennie Mims. “Not only were we recently able to apprehend, charge, and sentence one of the top leaders in this organization, but we also worked to make sure that those participating in the violence and drug crimes associated with this group were also brought to justice.”

Fite was associated with Baker through their shared involvement in the PMC, a criminal enterprise with leaders across the United States of America and Puerto Rico. Fite was stopped in July of 2021 when law enforcement in Aiken County, South Carolina, initiated a traffic stop on a motorcycle operated by Fite. Law enforcement knew that Fite was picking up methamphetamine on behalf of Baker from his source in the Atlanta area.  The officer observed a concealed firearm and Fite was detained. A K9’s positive hit on the motorcycle’s saddlebag revealed two large bags containing nearly two kilograms of crystal methamphetamine. Fite admitted he was a member of the PMC and was federally arrested at his residence in Kings Mountain on March 18, 2022.

It was discovered during interviews conducted by law enforcement that Fite repeatedly dealt and purchased crystal methamphetamine for himself and other members of the PMC. Fite is accountable for distributing nearly five kilograms of methamphetamine between October of 2020 and March of 2022.

The prosecution of Fite is part of Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force Operation (OCDETF) Ice Diamond. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launders, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.

Michael Easley, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after sentencing by Chief U.S. District Judge Richard E. Myers II. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Raleigh Police Department (NC), and the Aiken County Sheriff’s Office (SC) investigated the case and Assistant U.S. Attorney Kelly L. Sandling  prosecuted the case.

Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:21-cr-00434-M.

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WILMINGTON, N.C. – Stanley Kearney Jr., 27, of Kittrell was sentenced yesterday to 190 months in prison for charges related to two bank robberies in Raleigh and Greenville.

According to court records and other information presented in court, On December 6, 2019, the SunTrust bank located at 7320 Creedmoor Road in Raleigh, was robbed at gunpoint by four men. The men left the bank with approximately $11,578.00 and witnesses saw them fleeing the scene in a white Hyundai Elantra. On December 30, 2019, around 4:30 p.m., the Branch Bank & Trust (BB&T) located 2475 Stantonsburg Road in Greenville was robbed at gunpoint by three men. They left the bank with $72,853 and witnesses saw them flee the scene in a white Hyundai Elantra. Kearney was stopped on January 10, 2020, for unrelated traffic violations and attempted to flee from law enforcement. In an interview with law enforcement, Kearney would admit to committing the SunTrust and BB&T bank robberies. The codefendants in this case were Clifton Harris, Cameron Evans and Joshua Bailey. All three have pled guilty. Harris was sentenced to 81 months. Evans and Bailey are awaiting sentencing.

Michael Easley, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, made the announcement after sentencing by Chief U.S. District Judge Richard E. Myers II. The Davie County Sheriff’s Department, the Raleigh, Greenville and Mebane Police Departments, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Leonard Champaign and Barbara Kocher prosecuted the case.

Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 4:20-CR-00071-M.

RALEIGH, N.C. – A Raleigh member of the Eight Trey Gangster Crips (“ETGC”), Rayquan Wiggins, 27, was sentenced yesterday to 96 months in prison for his role in a conspiracy to commit murder which was aborted by law enforcement.  

“This case is part of an operation that led to over twenty indictments, taking down dangerous gang leaders and those who, like Wiggins, conspired to kill rivals,” said U.S. Attorney Michael Easley.  “We’ve forged a close partnership with Raleigh Police and the ATF to tackle violent crime, allowing for swift action by police to prevent yet another senseless murder.” 

“ATF is proud to have been part of this collaborative effort to impact the threat violent street gangs have on our communities,” said Special Agent in Charge Bennie Mims. “When we can bring these individuals to justice, we better public safety throughout our neighborhoods.”

According to court documents and other information presented in court, an investigation identified a large drug-trafficking organization (DTO) which was distributing significant amounts of cocaine, methamphetamine, phencyclidine (PCP), 3,4-Methlyenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) and marijuana in the Raleigh area. The conduct of the DTO was perpetrated by leaders, members, and associates of the ETGC.

Wiretap surveillance intercepted a conversation among members of the ETGC to kill a member of a rival gang that had tased high-level ETGC member Deandre Earp . At the direction of ETGC leader Dexter Maxwell, Wiggins provided information on when the target of the murder plot would be in a certain area in Raleigh so that other ETGC’s, Deandre Earp and Clinton Basco, could commit the murder. Agents took enforcement action to prevent the murder from occurring by having Earp and Basco stopped as they were traveling by car to go murder the rival gang member.  They were arrested before the murder could be committed. Maxwell, Basco and Earp have all previously pled guilty to charges related to the planned murder, as well as drug trafficking charges.  Earp was sentenced to 40 years . https://www.justice.gov/usao-ednc/pr/raleigh-eight-trey-crip-gangster-sentenced-40-years-prison-vicar-and-methamphetamine

Sentencing is pending for Maxwell and Basco.

This investigation was part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launders, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.

Michael Easley, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge James C. Dever III. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Raleigh Police Department investigated the case and Assistant U.S. Attorney Kelly L. Sandling  prosecuted the case.

Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:19-CR-00395-D.

RALEIGH, N.C. – A Whispering Pines man and registered sex offender was sentenced today to 120 months in prison for possession of child pornography. Adam Mitchum Bailey, 44, was previously convicted on separate charges of child pornography possession in October of 2018. Bailey was charged with new child pornography charges in March of 2021. On August 22, 2022, Bailey pled guilty to possession of child pornography.

According to court documents and other information presented in court, Bailey pled guilty to the possession of child pornography and was sentenced in March 2019 to 24 months in the Bureau of Prisons (BOP) and 10 years of supervised release. Halfway through his time in BOP, he was transferred to the Austin Wilkes Society re-entry facility in Fayetteville, North Carolina to complete his sentence, and was released in November 2020. Days before his release, facility staff discovered and searched an unauthorized cellphone found on Bailey’s bed, revealing images of child pornography. Evidence within the phone indicated that it belonged to Bailey.

The cellphone, along with another cellphone confiscated from Bailey several weeks earlier, were turned over to the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation Computer Crimes Unit. The second phone was also found to contain child pornography. In an interview with Bailey, he admitted to using both cellphones and electronically searching for the child pornography images.

Forensic examination of the phones recovered numerous files containing child pornography, including images of children under the age of 12. As a repeat offender, Bailey was subject to enhanced statutory minimums.

Michael Easley, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge James C. Dever III. The North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation Computer Crimes Unit and the Bureau of Prisons investigated the case and Assistant U.S. Attorney Bryan M. Stephany  prosecuted the case.

Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:21-cr-00147-D.

RALEIGH, N.C. – A Burlington man was sentenced yesterday to 160 months in prison for distribution of heroin and fentanyl. On June 8, 2022, Justin Kyle Tripp pled guilty to the charge. The investigation into Tripp began after a purchase tied to Tripp resulted in an overdose death.

“Fentanyl is a dangerous synthetic drug that is driving the overdose epidemic and killing far too many Americans,” said U.S. Attorney Michael Easley. “We are targeting the drug dealers and criminal networks selling fentanyl and lacing their drug supply – fueling addiction and overdose deaths.”

According to court documents and other information presented in court, Tripp, 38, is responsible for distribution of a mixture of heroin and fentanyl. In June of 2020, officers with Raleigh Police Department were dispatched to a Raleigh residence for a reported death. An empty heroin bindle, a spoon and a used syringe were observed nearby the deceased victim. A review of the victim’s phone revealed a conversation between the victim and Tripp reflecting an arrangement for the victim to purchase heroin from Tripp. The victim’s cause of death was determined to be acute fentanyl and heroin intoxication. Law enforcement later obtained a search warrant for Tripp’s residence where they found a mixture of heroin and fentanyl, a digital scale and multiple empty heroin bindles.

Michael Easley, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Terrence W. Boyle. The Raleigh Police Department investigated the case and Assistant U.S. Attorney Kelly L. Sandling  prosecuted the case.

Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:21-CR-00296-BO.

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WILMINGTON, N.C. – A Wilmington man was sentenced today to 97 months in prison for Interference with Commerce by Robbery and Brandishing a Firearm in the Furtherance of a Crime of Violence. On June 1, 2022, Cornelius Riley, age 62, pled guilty to the charges.  Through witness interviews, officers learned that Riley arrived at Carrabba’s Italian Grill in Wilmington after it was closed to the public and encountered an employee exiting the restaurant after finishing their shift. He then brandished a firearm and forced his way into the restaurant where he forced the employees to open the safe and empty cash drawers. Riley also demanded the security footage, but when the CD wouldn’t eject, he unhooked the recorder and threw it on the ground. Riley then forced the employees into a closet where he told them to wait.

According to court documents and other information, on November 20, 2020 at approximately 11:50 p.m., officers with the Wilmington Police Department responded to the Carrabba’s after receiving a call about an armed robbery in progress. When officers responded, they saw the defendant attempting to exit the restaurant with multiple items in his hands, however, when he saw police, he ran back inside. After a short standoff, Riley exited the restaurant and was placed under arrest. In a search incident to arrest, officers located approximately $490.00 in US Currency on Riley’s person that belonged to the restaurant. When officers searched the restaurant, they located a .22 caliber pistol in a trashcan, a pair of vinyl gloves, a closed zipper bank bag containing $1,900.00 in US Currency and assorted restaurant receipts and saw that multiple cash registers were disturbed, and the video recording system was on the floor. Officers interviewed the defendant who admitted to possessing the firearm found in the restaurant and admitted to trying to rob the restaurant.

Michael Easley, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Louise W. Flanagan.  The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) and the Wilmington Police Department investigated the case and Special Assistant United States Attorney William Van Trigt prosecuted the case.   Mr. Van Trigt is a prosecutor with the New Hanover County District Attorney’s Office.  District Attorney Ben David has assigned him to the United States Attorney’s Office to prosecute federal violent crimes and other criminal matters.  This has been made possible by a grant funded by New Hanover County.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts.  PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime.  Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them.  As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime. 

Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 7:22-cr-00143FL

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RALEIGH, N.C. – Joseph Bernard White, 46, of Jacksonville, NC, was sentenced today to 144 months in prison for distribution of fentanyl and methamphetamine and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense.  On October 4, 2022, White pled guilty to the charges.

“Residents of Jacksonville were courageous in reporting suspected drug trafficking to law enforcement,” said U.S. Attorney Michael Easley. “Thanks to their tips, an armed drug trafficker is off the streets and behind bars for the next twelve years.”

"The arrest and prosecution of White was a direct result of the cooperation between the community, law enforcement and prosecutors,” commented Onslow County Sheriff Chris Thomas.  “Cooperation with community and our fellow law enforcement partners along with education are key to combating the drug epidemic."

According to court documents and other information presented in court, community complaints about suspected drug trafficking at a home in Jacksonville led to an investigation resulting in the seizure of drugs, drug proceeds, and multiple firearms. Between November 2020 and March 2021, White repeatedly distributed fentanyl and methamphetamine from his home. On March 5, 2021, officers searched the home and found methamphetamine, fentanyl, six guns, and nearly $4,000 in cash.

Michael Easley, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Terrence W. Boyle. The Onslow County Sheriff’s Office and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) investigated the case and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Caroline Webb and Nicholas Hartigan prosecuted the case.

Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 7:22-CR-73.

WILMINGTON, N.C. – A Wilmington man was sentenced today to 54 months in prison for felon in possession of a firearm. On October 31, 2022, Michael Tyron Bridges, age 27, pled guilty to the charge.

According to court documents and other information presented in court, on July 28, 2020, Michael Bridges was a passenger in a vehicle stopped by the Wilmington Police Department. During a search of the vehicle, officers located a Glock 45 with a 24-round magazine in a cupholder, a .380 pistol in the other cupholder, and a stolen Sig Sauer rifle in the backseat with Mr. Bridges. Mr. Bridges was arrested and charged with possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and was released on bond on July 29, 2020.

On March 16, 2021, while out on bond for the July 28, 2020 arrest, the Wilmington Police Department conducted a traffic stop on the vehicle Mr. Bridges was driving. After Mr. Bridges told officer he had marijuana on his person, officers conducted a search and located a Smith and Wesson .357 Magnum pistol in his pocket. Mr. Bridges was arrested and charged with possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and was released on bond on March 18, 2021.

August 16, 2021, while out on bond for the July 28, 2020 arrest and the March 16, 2021 arrest, officers with the Wilmington Police Department became aware that Mr. Bridges had an outstanding warrant for his arrest and conducted a traffic stop on the vehicle to serve him with the process. When Mr. Bridges stepped out of the vehicle, a 9mm live round of ammunition fell from his lap and, in a subsequent search of the vehicle, officers located a stolen 9mm Taurus G2 pistol. Mr. Bridges was arrested and charged with possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and was released on bond on September 3, 2021.

On March 23, 2022, officers with the Wilmington Police Department received a call from a store clerk regarding a firearm that was found in the parking lot of the business. When officers arrived, they located a Smith and Wesson handgun with a high-capacity magazine in the parking lot. Subsequent testing of the firearm revealed the presence of Mr. Bridges DNA on the firearm. 

On August 31, 2022, Mr. Bridges was arrested on federal charges and was ordered to be detained pending the resolution of his case. 

During sentencing, the Court found Mr. Bridges, a convicted felon, responsible for possessing at leave five firearms and ammunition between July 28, 2020, and March 23, 2022. Additionally, multiple firearms were reported stolen and had large capacity magazines.

Mr. Bridges was a named defendant in the 2018 New Hanover County Permanent Injunction declaring the 720 Gangster Disciple street gang a public nuisance in New Hanover County.

Michael Easley, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Terrence W. Boyle.  The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), the Wilmington Police Department’s Gun Crime Task Force, the Wilmington Police Department, and the New Hanover County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case and Special Assistant United States Attorney William Van Trigt prosecuted the case.

The conviction is a result of the ongoing Violent Crime Action Plan (VCAP) initiative which is collaborative effort with local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies, working with the community, to identify and address the most significant drivers of violent crime. VCAP involves focused and strategic enforcement, and interagency coordination and intelligence-led policing.

Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 7:22-cr-00080-BO.

RALEIGH, N.C. – Joseph W. Floyd, IV, and William F. Floyd, Jr., brothers from Whiteville, North Carolina, each pleaded guilty yesterday before U.S. District Judge Terrence W. Boyle for conspiracy to sell and deliver unregistered securities in connection with a multi-year, multi-million dollar Ponzi scheme operated under the guise of a purported investment program. At sentencing, the Floyds each face a statutory maximum of 60 months’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and three years of supervised release.  The Floyds will also be required to make restitution to the victims of the offense.

“The Floyd brothers used their family insurance business to fleece dozens of Eastern North Carolina families of millions by promising low-risk investments with outsized returns,” stated U.S. Attorney Michael Easley.  “The U.S. Attorney’s Office is turning up the heat on white collar conmen who use Ponzi schemes and securities fraud to defraud hardworking North Carolina families.”

"The level of greed the Floyd brothers exhibited is difficult to comprehend. Not only did they prey on members of their own community for profit, even relatives were also not off limits. While their guilty pleas won't reimburse those who lost money, we hope federal prison sentences will repay their victims in some way," said Acting FBI Special Agent in Charge Michael C. Scherck.    

According to court documents and other information presented in court, the Floyds owned and operated Floyd’s Insurance Agency (FIA), an insurance business based in Whiteville, North Carolina.  The Floyds, through FIA, also offered a “loan program” in which more than 150 individuals and businesses in Southeastern North Carolina and elsewhere invested funds in exchange for interest-bearing promissory notes.  The promissory notes were securities as defined by law and therefore required to be registered with the Securities Exchange Commission (SEC).  As part of the registration process, the SEC requires businesses to provide important financial information that allows investors to make informed investment decisions.  The Floyds never registered their investment offering with the SEC at any time. 

The loan program offering was portrayed as a safe and conservative investment, comparable to a traditional money market account or certificate of deposit (CD) but offering higher interest rates that varied from six percent to 10 percent.  The promissory notes, which were personally guaranteed by the Floyds, stated that investor principal was repayable within one year.  The Floyds initially used the borrowed funds to extend credit to Monthly Payment Plan (MPP), a company they co-owned in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, that was in the business of financing insurance premiums for consumers.  

Investors were led to believe that FIA was earning sufficient profits from which to pay the promised rate of return and fund redemptions of principal upon demand.  In truth, by 2012, FIA had borrowed more than $20 million from investors and did not have the means to service the debt through any legitimate business source.  In order to forestall bankruptcy, the Floyds operated the Loan Program as a Ponzi scheme in which principal and profits were paid to existing investors with funds raised from more recent investors.  Investors were never advised of this fact.  Instead, the Floyds concealed FIA’s insolvency from investors and continued to accept additional investments.  In May 2020, FIA filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection.  In August 2020, the Floyds each filed for personal bankruptcy.  

Michael Easley, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, made the announcement after the arraignments were concluded. The Federal Bureau of Investigation, Charlotte Field Office, investigated the case.  The Securities Exchange Commission, Atlanta Field Office, also provided valuable assistance.  Assistant U.S.  Attorney Adam F. Hulbig prosecuted the case for the government.

A copy of this press release is located on our website. Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No.7:23-CR-1-BO.

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RALEIGH, N.C. –A verified Crips gang member residing in Selma, N.C., was sentenced Friday to 360 months in prison for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute a quantity of cocaine and twenty-eight (28) grams or more of cocaine base (“crack”) and possession with intent to distribute a quantity of cocaine and cocaine base (“crack”). On July 19, 2022, Deondre Montreal Russell, 34, also known as “Poo Bear,” was convicted by a federal jury of the charges.

According to court documents and other information presented in court, Russell, 33, sold cocaine and crack to a confidential informant utilized by the Johnson County Sheriff’s Office in January of 2020. Upon leaving the meeting, Russell committed a traffic violation and was stopped by police. The stop resulted in an altercation between Russell and the officer, and Russell was arrested and found to be carrying 26.51 grams of cocaine base (“crack”), 27.62 grams of cocaine, and $650 in cash.

Over the course of the investigation, a confidential informant notified investigators that they met Russell during the summer of 2018 and stated that Russell sold them approximately 3,628.8 grams of crystal methamphetamine and 453.7 grams of cocaine base (“crack”) during an eight-to-nine-month period. The confidential informant observed Russell carrying and possessing at least two firearms. In October of 2020, when Russell was on state probation, officers federally arrested him and found a digital scale with apparent cocaine residue, as well as 10 grams of marijuana. After the arrest, additional confidential informants confirmed drug purchases from Russell and told investigators that Russell made credible threats to use violence against witnesses in his trial.

In September of 2005, Russell pled guilty to second degree murder and was released from prison in 2016. The defendant was originally charged as a juvenile, but his case was bound over to superior court and he was tried as an adult.  Following his release from prison, Russell was convicted of possession of cocaine and other controlled substances, as well as selling marijuana in 2018.

Michael Easley, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge James C. Dever III. The Johnson County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case and Assistant U.S. Attorney Kelly L. Sandling prosecuted the case.

Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:20-cr-00459-D.

RALEIGH, N.C. – Two Rocky Mount men were sentenced today in connection to their role in a violent drug trafficking organization with ties to the United Blood Nation gang. The investigation revealed that Tyrone Foreman a/k/a Tye Nitty, who is awaiting sentencing, obtained kilograms of heroin and fentanyl from various sources of supply, and that Benjamine Moss, Jr. and Dentrez Randell Thomas were the primary distributors of these drugs within Nash and Edgecombe County.   Moss, 31 was sentenced to 246 months in prison after having pled guilty to conspiring to distribute heroin, fentanyl, and marijuana, and possessing a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking.  Thomas, 28 was sentenced to 151 months in prison after having pled guilty to conspiring to distribute heroin, fentanyl, and marijuana.

U.S. Attorney Michael Easley stated, “These individuals peddled poison to the communities in and around Rocky Mount.  The law-abiding citizens in these communities are much safer now that this source of illegal drugs has been removed from the streets.”

According to court documents and other information presented in court, Moss and Thomas were identified during a multi-year investigation into a Rocky Mount based Blood gang set led by Tyrone Foreman.  Through a series of controlled purchases, traffic stops, law enforcement surveillance, and interviews of witnesses, investigators also learned that Moss and Thomas routinely carried firearms while they sold heroin and fentanyl and were tasked with threatening lower-level drug distributors at gunpoint to ensure that the organization’s drug sales continued.  The investigation culminated in a December 2020 traffic stop of Thomas and Foreman on I-95 in Maryland as they returned from meeting with a New York based drug supplier.  Over 3,500 dosage units of heroin/fentanyl mixture were seized during that stop. 

“Stopping the flow of drugs into our communities plays a significant role in helping to decrease violent crime overall,” said ATF Special Agent in Charge Bennie Mims. “These particular gang members have been responsible for a large number of violent crimes in the area. To have them in custody and off our streets is a huge win for public safety.”

“Our goal is to reduce crime in our city by strategically targeting those involved in violent crime.  It is our vision to make Rocky Mount one of the safest cities in North Carolina.  These convictions are the result of long investigative work that could not have succeeded without the collaboration between federal, state and local law enforcement;” said Rocky Mount Police Chief Robert Hassell. 

"I would like to express my appreciation to the law enforcement and the U.S. Attorney’s Office who were involved in this case,” said Nash County Sheriff Keith Stone. “The long hours and hard work by each agency have tremendously impacted the violence and drug trafficking surrounding our communities. Through our local, state, and federal partnerships, we continue our fight to take problems like this away from our citizens."

Edgecombe County Sheriff Cleveland Atkinson stated, "This was definitely a collaboration between all agencies.  When we work together as one, there is almost nothing we can't achieve."

Michael F. Easley, Jr., U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge James C. Dever III. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosive, Rocky Mount Police Department, the Nash County Sheriff’s Office, and the Edgecombe County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case and Assistant U.S. Attorney Caroline Webb  prosecuted the case.

Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:21-CR-88-D.

WILMINGTON, N.C. – Christopher Lamar Baker, 49, a Raleigh-based national leader of the Pagans Motorcycle Club – which is recognized by law enforcement as an Outlaw Motorcycle Gang - was sentenced today to 900 months in prison following a conviction by a jury in September for drug trafficking, firearm, and money laundering charges.

Baker was a “13” in the Pagans Motorcycle Club prior to his November 2021 arrest by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives (ATF). This designation means that he was one of only thirteen national leaders in the United States.  This case is part of an ongoing operation that has resulted in the indictment of 20 individuals, including Baker.

“The circumstances of this case highlight the coordinated action that we, as law enforcement, are taking to address organized crime and the growing epidemic of methamphetamine in our community,” said U.S. Attorney Michael Easley. “It should serve as a warning to gangs and other criminal enterprises perpetrating violence. We will prosecute you and seek sentences that fit the crimes.”

According to court documents and other information presented in court, Baker supplied over 268 kilograms of methamphetamine into the Raleigh area and surrounding states on the East Coast.  Baker was convicted by a jury of 17 counts, including conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine, distribution of methamphetamine, possession of firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking crimes—including a machine gun—and conspiracy to commit money laundering. 

“The Raleigh Police Department is proud to work alongside our federal partners to investigate and prosecute those who seek to destroy our community with violence and drugs,” said Raleigh Police Chief Estella Patterson.  “Removing this very dangerous person from our streets was an extraordinary step in making our community and state safer. By disrupting illegitimate criminal enterprises that seek to traffic guns and drugs into our community, we send a message that we will not tolerate the harm these dangerous organizations cause.  Making Raleigh the safest city in the nation remains the top priority of the Raleigh Police Department.  We can only do so through collaboration with the community, local and state law enforcement, and our federal partners.   We thank the United States Attorney’s Office Eastern District, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Raleigh/Wake City-County Bureau of Identification, and the United States Marshals Service for their strong partnership.”

“ATF has a long history with outlaw motorcycle gangs, recognizing that these groups are often tied closely with a number of criminal acts, including gun violence, firearms trafficking, and drug trafficking.” said Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Special Agent in Charge Bennie Mims. “This was a strategic, collaborative effort focused on disrupting a dangerous and violent criminal network.”

Through the course of this investigation, it was determined that Baker was the leader of the Pagan Motorcycle Club (“PMC”) in North Carolina, a wholly illegitimate criminal enterprise.  The PMC is recognized internationally by law enforcement as an Outlaw Motorcycle Gang ("OMG") criminal enterprise that has leaders across the United States of America and Puerto Rico. The PMC has a long history of drug trafficking, firearms trafficking, and violence in the areas where it operates.

Baker has been described as the leader of the North Carolina PMC. According to numerous law enforcement intelligence units, he is believed to have previously held the rank of President of the Raleigh chapter of the PMC prior to becoming a “13.” Baker was responsible for the acquisition and distribution of kilogram quantities of methamphetamine for the Drug Trafficking Organization (“DTO”) linked to the PMC. Baker’s DTO is responsible for the distribution of methamphetamine and firearms across multiple states, including North Carolina.

In his Pagan leadership position, Baker directed members of his organization in distributing and selling methamphetamine in Raleigh and surrounding areas.   Baker’s sources of supply for methamphetamine and firearms lived in the Atlanta area, and he would have various members of the Pagans drive him from North Carolina to the Atlanta area to pick up methamphetamine and firearms for distribution in North Carolina and surrounding states.  

Baker also routinely used and directed violence to promote his narcotics trafficking. Baker was frequently armed; examples of his violence include the directed torture of a Pagan pledge who allegedly stole from another member. In this case, the pledge’s fingers were cut off using a table saw. Baker also directed the murder of an individual who sold him fake drugs. Raleigh Police and ATF had to place that individual into protective custody.

The prosecution of Baker was a part of Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force Operation (OCDETF) Diamond Ice. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launders, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks. This investigation spanned into the West Virginia, South Carolina, and Georgia areas where kilogram quantities of methamphetamine were distributed into Raleigh utilizing a complex network of Pagans in surrounding states who have also been indicted in this case. Twenty individuals, including Baker have been indicted. Seven defendants have been convicted and sentenced, and nine others are awaiting sentencing.

Michael F. Easley, Jr., U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after sentencing by Chief U.S. District Judge Richard E. Myers II. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Raleigh Police Department led the investigation with assistance from the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Raleigh/Wake City-County Bureau of Identification and United States Marshals Service.  Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kelly L. Sandling  and Robert Dodson prosecuted the case.

Other agencies involved in the investigation include the N.C. Highway Patrol, the Virginia State Police (VSP), the Dekalb County Police Department (GA), the Barrow County Sheriff’s Office (GA), the Georgia State Patrol (GSP), the Gwinnett County Police Department (GA), the Cleveland County Sheriff’s Department (NC), the S.C. Highway Patrol, the Craven County Sheriff’s Office (NC), the Lexington County Sheriff’s Department (SC) and the Reidsville Police Department (NC).

Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:21-cr-00434-M-1.

RALEIGH, N.C. – United States Attorney Michael Easley, along with representatives from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Raleigh Police Department, will hold a press conference TOMMOROW, Friday, February 3 at 11:00 a.m. to announce the sentence of Christopher Lamar Baker, a national leader of the Pagan Motorcycle Club (PMC) who was convicted last year of drug trafficking, firearm, and money laundering charges. The PMC is recognized by law enforcement as an Outlaw Motorcycle Gang.

WHERE: U.S. District Courthouse, 310 New Bern Avenue, Raleigh, NC 27601

WHEN: Friday, February 3 at 11:00 a.m.

Media: please arrive at the courthouse by 10:30 for set up.

Credentialed members of the media are invited to attend. For additional information, please e-mail Don Connelly at usance.PublicInfoOfficer@usdoj.gov. 

Please RSVP your intentions to attend the event.

WILMINGTON, N.C. – Edward Dominique Devone was sentenced yesterday to 10 years in prison followed by 3 years of supervised release for possession of a firearm by a felon after opening fire during a drive by at a group of individuals in Dunn, North Carolina. This is the statutory maximum sentence available for this offense. 

According to court documents and other information presented in court, on December 19, 2020, Dunn Police Department (DPD) were patrolling the downtown businesses in Dunn, North Carolina, when they heard approximately ten shots fired in the area of East Harnett and East Vance Streets. Officers notified dispatch of the shooting and observed a vehicle run the stop sign at the intersection of East Vance Street and North Clinton Street. A traffic stop was initiated of the vehicle. Upon pulling up behind the vehicle, officers observed the back passenger door of the vehicle open and Devone exit the car with his hands up stating, “I didn’t do it.” A female was driving the car.  Officers asked her to step out of the car. As the female was exiting the car, officers observed an AK-47 (7.62 caliber Norinco semi-automatic rifle) on the floorboard behind the driver seat in plain view and a black .40 caliber handgun tucked in the back seat pocket on the passenger side seat with part of it visible. Upon securing the firearms from the vehicle, officers noted that the handgun was unloaded but warm to the touch, and the smell of fresh gun powder consistent with a recently fired firearm was present. The rifle was fully loaded.

Officers traveled to the scene of the reported shooting and searched the 400 block of East Vance Street and spoke with an individual who advised the shooting occurred in front of his residence.  The homeowner told officers that a female and several men were visiting in front of his house when a car rode by and started shooting. Officers located eight spent .40 caliber shell casings in the roadway in front of his house.  The .40 caliber handgun was test fired and a comparison was done between the .40 shell casings recovered from the scene and the shell casing from the bullet used to test fire the handgun and they were a match.

Michael Easley, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after sentencing was concluded. Chief U.S. District Judge Richard E. Myers II presided over the sentencing. Dunn Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer May-Parker prosecuted the case.

A copy of this press release is located on our website. Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or PACER by searching for Case No. 5:22-CR-00077-M.

RALEIGH, N.C. – United States Attorney Michael Easley announced today that Joint Active Systems, Inc. (JAS), a manufacturer of range-of-motion devices located in Effingham, Illinois, has agreed to pay $500,000 to settle civil claims under the Federal and North Carolina False Claims Acts concerning allegations that JAS caused submission of false claims to the North Carolina Medicaid program for certain durable medical equipment.

Specifically, the United States and the State of North Carolina alleged that from January 6, 2012 through January 29, 2021, JAS was unable to directly bill North Carolina Medicaid for its “EZ” range-of-motion devices because JAS did not meet North Carolina Medicaid requirements and/or lacked credentials necessary to do so.  JAS allegedly bypassed those requirements—and its concomitant inability to bill North Carolina Medicaid directly—by entering into arrangements with local North Carolina orthotics and prosthetics providers to bill EZ devices on its behalf.  JAS allegedly directed the local North Carolina orthotics and prosthetics providers to improperly submit claims for JAS EZ devices as orthotics using “L-Codes” under the Healthcare Common Procedure Coding System (“HCPCS”), thereby bypassing the medical necessity reviews and/or authorization processes that may have otherwise taken place.  The Governments alleged that the JAS EZ devices did not qualify for reimbursement as “L-Code” orthotics under North Carolina Medicaid, and that the JAS EZ devices were not listed as reimbursable devices on the North Carolina Medicaid fee schedule.  Indeed, JAS received an official coding verification from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services that designated one of JAS’s EZ devices as an “E-Code” (durable medical equipment) device, not as an “L-Code” (orthotic) device.  The Governments alleged that JAS nevertheless continued to use local North Carolina providers to bill its EZ devices as “L-Code” devices.  In turn, JAS allegedly would pay the local orthotics and prosthetics providers by allowing them to retain a certain amount of the reimbursement.

“The Department of Justice is actively pursuing health care companies and medical device manufacturers who overcharge government healthcare programs,” said United States Attorney Michael Easley.  “We cannot allow companies to bypass rules and regulations to enrich themselves, while depleting taxpayer funds set aside for legitimate patient care.”

“My office’s Medicaid Investigations Division will hold accountable Medical device manufacturers who drain resources from our government healthcare programs, no matter how elaborate and layered the scheme may be,” said North Carolina Attorney General Josh Stein.

The Federal and North Carolina False Claims Acts authorize the Governments to recover triple the money falsely obtained, plus substantial civil penalties for each false claim submitted.  

It should be noted that the civil claims resolved by settlement here are allegations only, that there has been no judicial determination or admission of liability, and that JAS denies the allegations. 

This matter was investigated by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of North Carolina and the Medicaid Investigations Division of the North Carolina Attorney General’s Office (“MID”).  Special Deputy Attorney General Matthew R. Petracca, who also serves as a Special Assistant United States Attorney, represented the United States and the State of North Carolina.

The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of North Carolina, in partnership with law enforcement agencies and state entities, investigates and prosecutes healthcare providers that defraud government programs, including Medicare and Medicaid, and abuse their patients.  The Medicaid Investigations Division investigates and prosecutes healthcare providers that defraud the Medicaid program, patient abuse of Medicaid recipients, patient abuse of any patient in facilities that receive Medicaid funding, and misappropriation of any patients’ private funds in nursing homes that receive Medicaid funding.  To report Medicare fraud or patient abuse in North Carolina, please visit the United States Department of Health and Human Services’ website at https://oig.hhs.gov/fraud/.  To report Medicaid fraud or patient abuse in North Carolina, please call the MID at 919-881-2320.

RALEIGH, N.C. – After a three-week federal jury trial, and 5 hours of jury deliberation, Anita Louise Jackson, 59, was found guilty on charges of adulterating medical devices for use on patients with intent to defraud and mislead, fabricating medical and healthcare records, paying illegal renumerations, mail fraud, and conspiracy.  Jackson was convicted of using re-used devices to perform more than 1400 surgeries for Medicare patients between 2011 and the end of 2017.  After the verdict, Jackson was taken into custody pending sentencing. 

“This doctor put profit ahead of patients, luring in Medicare patients with free “sinus spas” and risking infection to those patients by reusing the same single-use surgical devices on them again and again,” stated Michael Easley, U.S. Attorney.  “If we allow doctors to bilk Medicare to pad their profits by performing unsupported medical procedures— each and every American taxpayer eats the cost.  But the harm is most felt by the victim-patients who deserved better, and the elderly Americans on Medicare who are entitled to quality care.  Jackson’s blatant disregard for her patients’ health has led to her conviction on multiple federal charges.  My office is proud to work with the investigative agencies that helped bring this woman to justice.” 

Jackson was an Ear Nose and Throat doctor who operated Greater Carolina Ear, Nose, and Throat (GCENT), with offices in Raleigh, Lumberton and Rockingham.  Between 2011 and the end of 2017, Jackson preformed 1,555 balloon sinuplasty surgeries on 919 Medicare beneficiary patients.  Balloon sinuplasty is an in-office surgery to treat chronic sinusitis.  The FDA has cleared the Entellus XprESS device to be used in the performance of balloon sinuplasty procedures, but only on one patient, during one surgery.  After that, the device must to be discarded.    But, between 2012 and 2017, Jackson obtained, at most, 36 new Entellus devices, despite being, at times, the top-paid Medicare provider of balloon sinuplasty services in the United States.  The evidence showed that Jackson misled and did not inform her patients that they were receiving a procedure with an adulterated device.  The evidence also showed, and the defendant admitted on cross-examination, that she had sufficient money to buy every patient a new device -- but chose not to do so.

Jackson billed Medicare more than $46 million dollars for the balloon sinuplasty procedures between 2014 and 2018.  She netted more than $4.79 Million from Medicare for these surgeries alone.  That amount does not include any sinuplasty surgeries performed on patients with private health care insurance, other than Medicare, and monies received from Medicare prior to that time.  The jury ordered forfeiture in the amount of $4,794,039.31 Million.

“The FDA continues in its commitment to aggressively pursue those who deviate from required standards of use for medical devices,” said Special Agent in Charge Justin C. Fielder, FDA Office of Criminal Investigations Miami Field Office. “We will remain vigilant in our efforts to protect consumers from potentially dangerous products.”

Jackson was also convicted on 10 counts of illegally inducing her patients to receive the sinuplasty surgery, by failing to collect the portion of the surgery that the patient was required to pay – the co-pay.  Jackson, through her employees, marketed the sinuplasty surgery as a “sinus spa.”  In doing so, Jackson induced her patients to come to the office for a “free” sinus spa, induced her patients to receive a treatment they may not need, or may not have agreed to, had the full out-of-pocket cost to the patient been disclosed.  In an effort to continue obtaining patients for the procedure, Jackson wrote-off, or otherwise hid, the full cost of the procedure on any bills sent to the patient after their visit to GCENT.  The patient portion of the sinuplasty surgery could be as high as $1,500 for Medicare beneficiaries, which the jury found was not disclosed to patients.    

Jackson was also convicted of three counts of making false statements relating to health care benefits, two counts aggravated identity theft, and three counts of mail fraud.  Between 2017 and 2018, Jackson became the subject of three audits by Medicare contractors.  The evidence showed, and the jury found, that the defendant fabricated medical records supplied to auditors in an effort to keep more than $1.7 million that had already been paid to her by Medicare.  The jury convicted Jackson of fabricating and modifying medical records to justify the billing of balloon sinuplasty surgeries to Medicare auditors.  Two aggravated identity theft counts related to the defendant’s knowing use of forged patient signatures on documents in which patients allegedly declared that they received surgeries from the defendant, and that they needed them.  The defendant’s Mail Fraud convictions pertained to her fraudulent use of fake medical records to deceive auditors, and to deceive a fellow physician.  The defendant was also convicted for tricking a fellow ENT physician into signing a sworn statement that her medical documentation supported her prior balloon sinuplasty surgeries.

The defendant was convicted of conspiring with her staff to commit device adulteration, to pay illegal remunerations, to make false records, and to commit mail fraud. 

"It is disturbing when fraudsters exploit vulnerable Medicare enrollees and defraud federal health care programs for personal gain,” said Special Agent in Charge Tamala E. Miles of U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General.  “Today’s verdict in this case shows that our agency, working with our law enforcement partners, will continue to hold bad actors accountable and protect both Medicare and those served by this program.”

“Dr. Jackson corrupted her integrity and violated patient trust by putting profits ahead of quality care,” said Christopher Dillard, the Special Agent in Charge of the DoD Office of the Inspector General, Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS) Mid-Atlantic Field Office. “DCIS will continue to work with its partners to root out fraud within the Department of Defense's TRICARE program.”

The federal jury convicted Jackson on all 20 counts in the indictment, which included:  Count 1 – Device Adulteration 21 U.S.C. § 331(k),  21 U.S.C. § 333(a)(2) and 21 U.S.C. § 35l(a)(2)(A);  Counts 2-11 – Illegal Renumerations 42 U. S. C. § 1320a-7b(b)(2)(B) and 18 U. S. C. § 2; Counts 12-14 – Making False Statements Relating to Health Care Benefits 18 U.S.C. § 1035(a)(2); Counts 15-16 – Aggravated Identity Theft 18 U.S.C. § 102A(a)(1); Counts 17-19 – Mail Fraud 18 U.S.C. § 1341; and Count 20 – Conspiracy  18 U.S.C. § 371.

Jackson faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years for Mail Fraud, 10 years for Paying Illegal Remunerations, and 5 years for Conspiracy and Making False Statements, and three years for Adulteration with the intent to defraud or mislead.  Aggravated Identity Theft carries a 2-year mandatory prison sentence, consecutive to any other punishment.  Jackson also faces fines exceeding $250,000.

Michael Easley, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after United States Judge James C. Dever III published the verdict.  The United States Department of Health and Human Services Office of the Inspector General (HHS-OIG), the United States Food and Drug Administration Office of Criminal Investigations (FDA-OCI), and the Department of Defense Office of Inspector General, Defense Criminal Investigative Service lead the investigation.  Assistant U.S. Attorneys William Gilmore and Karen K. Haughton prosecuted the case.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Middle District has a pending civil action against Jackson, in case captioned:  United States of America and the State of North Carolina ex rel. Lee M. Mandel, MD, FACS, and Erin Craig v. Anita Louise Jackson, MD and Greater Carolina Ear, Nose & Throat, P.A., No. 17-cv-925 (MDNC).

Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:21-cr-00259-D.

WILMINGTON, N.C. – William McCoy was sentenced today to 90 months in prison for receipt of child pornography.  McCoy, 26, pled guilty to the charge on July 27, 2022.

According to court documents and other information presented in court, on February 24, 2021, Investigators at Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point received a CyberTip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) regarding activity on Facebook Messenger.  The user had been identified as William McCoy, who was then a lance corporal stationed at Cherry Point. 

The CyberTip showed that in chats dated January 31, 2021, McCoy and 16-year-old female Victim-1 had discussed previously having sexual intercourse.  McCoy referred to a video recording of the encounter and had instructed Victim-1 to watch a video. 

On March 2, 2021, an NCIS agent obtained command authorization to search McCoy and his living space, including digital devices.  Agents met McCoy at his commanding officer’s office and seized from McCoy’s person a Samsung Galaxy Note phone. 

McCoy waived his rights and agreed to a video recorded interview.  He stated he had dated Victim-1, who he claimed was 22 years old.  He stated that they had been dating for six months and were sexually active.  McCoy gave permission for his phone to be searched, and agents saw multiple sexually explicit photos of Victim-1, as well as a video in which McCoy and Victim-1 are masturbating together over the video chat application Google Duo.  Agents found a phone number for Victim-1, who they contacted and confirmed was currently 17 years old.  McCoy admitted that he lied about Victim-1’s age, that he found out her true age in November 2020, and that they had sexual intercourse in December 2020.

A digital forensic examiner reviewed McCoy’s Samsung Galaxy Note cellphone and found over 50 image files and 150 video files that appeared to depict Victim-1 in child exploitative poses.  Of these, 11 images and 47 videos were confirmed to be child pornography based on content through which the subject could be identified as Victim-1 and therefore a minor.  It is believed that all photos were of Victim-1; no other minors were identified within the photos.  

Subsequent investigation determined that McCoy had solicited, and in some cases received, sexual photos from at least three other minor females who were connected to Victim-1.  At the same time, McCoy sent photos and videos depicting his penis to minor females, and some were able to describe his military quarters to investigators. 

Michael Easley, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after sentencing by Chief U.S. District Judge Richard E. Myers II. Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) investigated the case, which Assistant U.S. Attorney Jake D. Pugh  prosecuted.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.

Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 4:22-cr-00001-M.

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WILMINGTON, N.C. – A Goldsboro man was sentenced today to 181 months in prison, five years of supervised release and more than $1500 in financial restitution for charges associated with multiple successful and attempted armed robberies between the months of August and September of 2019, sometimes using fake ads on the online application, “OfferUp,” to bring victims to a location where they were robbed and assaulted.  On October 19, 2022, Daekwon Sample, 25, also known as “Kwon,” pled guilty to the firearm and robbery charges.

“This robber and his accomplices used fake online car ads to lure victims to a location where they robbed the victims at gunpoint, even firing shots at one victim who had his minor child with him while another victim and minor child were threatened at gunpoint in the car,” said. U.S. Attorney Michael Easley. “The members of this robbery crew have hitched a ride to a lengthy stay in federal prison. But this case is a reminder for consumers to be cautious when arranging meetings to retrieve goods purchased online. You should only arrange to meet in public, well-lit locations where there will be other people around. And make sure a friend or family member knows where you are going and who you are meeting.”

According to court documents and information presented in court, officers with the Goldsboro Police Department (GPD) responded to a report of an assault and robbery in August 2019. A couple contacted an unknown subject through OfferUp at a Mimosa Street residence in Goldsboro, with the intention of purchasing a vehicle. The couple arrived at the location with their two minor children and the seller, later identified as Sample, and co-defendant Jaquan Melvin, robbed the victims at gunpoint of more than $1,300. Shots were fired at the feet of one of the victims before fleeing the scene. Approximately a month later near the same residence, a pizza delivery driver was assaulted and robbed by Sample and another individual, later identified as co-defendant Isaiah Kornegay.

The same evening of the pizza robbery at the Mimosa Street residence, the robbery crew struck again, in a similar, fake transaction initiated through OfferUp assaulting the interested buyer. The victim told police that Kornegay brandished a firearm as he fled from the assault.

On September 11, 2019, undercover officers with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) posed as buyers of a vehicle posted from the OfferUp account used in the previous robberies. The seller directed the agents to meet at the Mimosa Street residence. When agents arrived at the residence, they immediately arrested Sample. Kornegay fled but was found nearby and arrested the same night. Melvin fled the scene and was found and arrested the next month. Further investigation revealed that Kornegay created the “Offer Up” account used in the robberies.

Kornegay previously pled guilty and was sentenced to 97 months in custody, three years of supervised release and financial restitution. Melvin previously pled guilty and was sentenced to 171 months in custody, five years of supervised release and financial restitution.

Michael Easley, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after sentencing by Chief U.S. District Judge Richard E. Myers II. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives as well as the Goldsboro Police Department investigated the case and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brandon Boykin and Bryan M. Stephany prosecuted the case.

Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:21-cr-00319-M.

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RALEIGH, N.C. – A Clayton, North Carolina man, Jerry Lynn Johnson, Jr., was sentenced today to 53 months in prison and three years of supervised release for organizing and leading a fraudulent scheme to obtain, and attempt to obtain, over $400,000 in federal financial aid funds.  On August 2, 2022, Johnson pleaded guilty to the charge of mail fraud and aiding and abetting.  As part of the judgment, Johnson was also ordered to pay $289,403 in criminal restitution to the U.S. Department of Education (ED). 

“This defendant fraudulently used other people’s identities to apply for student aid to attend numerous colleges, taking advantage of a system meant to help poor and disadvantaged citizens get a college education,” said U.S Attorney Michael Easley.  “We should be proud to live in a country that has programs in place to help people fulfill their dreams of attending college.  We will zealously guard the integrity of those programs and prosecute those who take advantage of our country’s generosity to line their pockets at taxpayer expense.  let this be a warning to financial fraudsters - scamming our education system will get you a full ride to federal prison.”

"I’m proud of the work of OIG special agents and our law enforcement colleagues for shutting down yet another student aid fraud ring and holding the ringleader accountable for his criminal actions,” said Terry Harris, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Education Office of Inspector General’s Eastern Regional Office. “The OIG is committed to fighting student aid fraud, and we will continue to aggressively pursue those that participate in these types of crimes."

Federal Student Aid (FSA) is the ED office responsible for administering financial aid programs to assist qualified students with pursuing post-secondary education, including grants, loans, work study funds, and other disbursements.  FSA also develops, distributes, and processes the Free Application for Federal Student Aid form or “FAFSA”.  After a school applies a financial award to a student’s tuition and fees, any remaining balance is refunded to the student for education-related expenses.

According to court documents and other information presented in court, between approximately 2016 and 2019, Johnson used the personal identifying information of multiple individuals— “straw students”—to falsely and fraudulently apply for financial aid to attend various post-secondary schools, including American Public University in Charles Town, West Virginia, Grand Canyon University in Phoenix, Arizona, and Southern New Hampshire University in Manchester, New Hampshire.  Johnson submitted the FAFSA in the names of the straw students while concealing his identity as the preparer.  After the financial aid packages were approved, Johnson assumed the identities of the straw students to enroll them in classes, complete required coursework, and otherwise maintain the illusion of attendance and bona fide efforts to complete the chosen degree program for the purpose of enriching himself with the associated student aid refunds.  In furtherance of the scheme, Johnson diverted over $190,000 in refunds to North Carolina addresses under his control.  

Michael Easley, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, made the announcement after sentencing by United States District Judge Louise W. Flanagan.  The U.S. Department of Education, Office of Inspector General, investigated the case.  Assistant United States Attorney Adam F. Hulbig prosecuted the case for the government.

Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 4:21-CR-61-FL.

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WILMINGTON, N.C. – A Raleigh man, Adonis Fabian Zorrilla, was sentenced today to 37 months in prison, 3 years supervised release, and $4,103.35 in restitution for assaulting a Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officer at Raleigh-Durham International (RDU) Airport.

According to court documents and other information presented in court, Zorrilla, 27, and a traveling companion went through a security checkpoint at RDU airport on March 6, 2022.  TSA officers pulled their bags for additional screening and discovered 17 false identification cards with Zorilla’s photo and a variety of names.  Zorrilla grabbed the TSA officer’s arm and unsuccessfully attempted to wrestle the identification cards from her, tearing one of the TSA officer’s ligaments in the scuffle.  Zorrilla then fled RDU airport without his shoes or other belongings as those remained at the security checkpoint.  On April 29, 2022, Zorrilla was arrested for Forgery in Bibb County, Georgia, and brought to the Eastern District of North Carolina to face this charge.  On August 9, 2022, Zorrilla pled guilty to the charge. 

Zorrilla has prior felony convictions in North Carolina for Common Law Robbery, Possession with Intent to Sell and Deliver Heroin, Identity Theft, and Trafficking Stolen Identities, as well as a conviction for Reckless Driving to Endanger. 

Michael Easley, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after sentencing by Chief U.S. District Judge Richard E. Myers II. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the RDU Police Department investigated the case and Assistant U.S. Attorney Brad DeVoe prosecuted the case.  Additional assistance was provided by TSA.

Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:21-CR-33-BO.

WILMINGTON, N.C. – Christopher Scott Harrison, 56, of Fayetteville, N.C., pled guilty today to willfully filing a false tax return with respect to nearly $25 million in unreported income he paid to himself from his company.

“This businessman tried to dodge paying millions in federal taxes by disguising personal luxuries as business expenses.  Harrison diverted company funds to buy nearly a million dollars worth of bling, including an estimated $145,000 Rolex watch, $102,000 Cartier diamond necklace, and $85,000 Tiffany bracelet,” said U.S. Attorney Michael Easley. “Wealthy tax cheats cannot be allowed to line their pockets at the expense of hardworking American taxpayers.”

According to the criminal information and evidence summarized in Court, Harrison became the CFO and majority owner of an insurance and Human Resources benefits business, Ebenconcepts.  Beginning at least as early as 2012, Harrison began to lavishly spend company funds for his own benefit, for example purchasing a watch for approximately $145,000 and spending approximately $300,000 of company funds for a swimming pool at his residence.  As these expenditures came to light, Harrison filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy.  During the bankruptcy proceedings, an accounting firm retained by the Bankruptcy Trustee discovered almost $25 million in personal expenditures attributable to Harrison reported as business expenses between tax years 2012 and 2018.  Harrison filed false personal returns over that period, which failed to report the income, leading to almost $6 million in uncollected federal income taxes.

“The IRS enforces the nation's tax laws, but also takes particular interest in cases where someone does not pay their fair share in taxes by intentionally not reporting all their income,” said Donald “Trey” Eakins, Special Agent in Charge of the IRS Criminal Investigation’s Charlotte Field Office.  “IRS Criminal Investigation is proud to work with our law enforcement partners by lending its expertise in these complex financial investigations.” 

Harrison pleaded guilty to Willfully Filing a False Tax Return.  He faces up to three years in prison, restitution to the IRS and a potential fine.  Sentencing before United States Chief District Judge Richard E. Myers II is scheduled to occur in the Spring.

Michael Easley, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after Chief U.S. District Judge Richard E. Myers II accepted the plea.  Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Criminal Investigation is leading the investigation, and Assistant U.S. Attorney David G. Beraka is prosecuting the case.

Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:22-cr-00309-M.

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RALEIGH, N.C. – A federal grand jury returned an indictment Friday charging a Florida man, currently a federal inmate serving a sentence, with possession of contraband (Buprenorphine) in prison, and possession with intent to distribute Buprenorphine.

According to the indictment, Juan Martir, a federal inmate serving his sentence at the Federal Correctional Complex in Butner, North Carolina (“FCC Butner”) had 45 individually wrapped pieces of Buprenorphine, a schedule III-controlled substance.  Also found with Martir were numerous books of stamps, individual stamps, and a notebook with names of fellow inmates.  If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 20 years for each count.

Michael Easley, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement.  The Federal Bureau of Prisons is investigating the case and Special Assistant United States Attorney Mallory Brooks Storus is prosecuting the case.

An indictment is merely an accusation.  The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.

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NEW BERN, N.C. – United States Attorney Michael Easley announced that a Cary man was sentenced today to 181 months in prison after carjacking a woman at gunpoint and firing multiple shots at the Wake County Public Safety Center in downtown Raleigh.  Willie Lee Hayes, Jr., 51, pled guilty to the charges.

“Hayes was an armed and dangerous felon with lengthy criminal history who put law enforcement and the public at risk,” said U.S. Attorney Michael Easley. “Let today’s 15-year sentence stand as a warning.  Our office is prioritizing the prosecution of repeat felons driving gun violence in our communities.”  

“The Wake County Sheriff’s Office would like to thank the US Attorney’s Office for their diligence in bringing this case to a successful conclusion,” stated Sheriff Willie L. Rowe.  “The actions of Willie L. Hayes, Jr. on October 6, 2020 put the lives of several members of the public as well as staff members of our office in grave jeopardy.  It is a miracle that none of the bullets fired by Mr. Hayes directly struck any of the numerous people in the vicinity.  We would also like to thank our partners with the Raleigh Police Department, Cary Police Department, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and others for their assistance with this case.” 

“The Raleigh Police Department expresses gratitude to the Department of Justice for their due diligence in prosecuting this case,” said Raleigh Police Chief Estella Patterson. “We are thankful no one was seriously injured in this violent act against the Wake County Sheriff’s Office and several other public safety agencies. An act of violence against any public safety partner is an act of violence against our entire community. Our department is committed to collaborating with other agencies to bring justice to those who harm our communities.”

According to court documents and other information presented in court, on October 6, 2020, at around 3:00 pm, a white Dodge Journey stopped on Salisbury Street in Raleigh in front of the John H. Baker Public Safety Center.  The Public Safety Center houses the detention center, Emergency Medical Services (EMS), Fire Services, the City-County Bureau of Identification, and the Wake County Sheriff's Office.  A man, later identified as Hayes, stepped out of the right front passenger seat and pulled out a handgun.  He fired multiple shots toward the front of the building, where several people were present.  Shots hit the building’s front door and windows.  While no one was hit, falling glass from a broken window injured a Wake County Deputy’s leg.  Hayes got back into the car, which fled South on Salisbury Street away from the scene.  Officers recovered 12-9mm shell casings from the road. 

A witness provided officers with a license plate number, and a registration check revealed that the car was registered to Hayes and a woman with the initials J.N., both listed as sharing an address on Rose Street in Cary. Officers soon located J.N. driving the Dodge Journey near the home.  During an interview, J.N. explained that she purchased a Stoeger 9mm pistol about two weeks prior but hadn’t seen it for around a week.  Before the shooting, Hayes asked her to come pick him up and take him to a gas station. But during the drive, Hayes pulled out the 9mm handgun and demanded that she drive him to the Wake County courthouse (referring to the Public Safety Center).  He said that if she stopped the vehicle for any reason, he would shoot her. When she arrived in front of the courthouse, Hayes opened the font passenger door of the vehicle and began firing.  Hayes then told her to drive away and not to stop until they were back home.  She had dropped him off at the house and had just left when officers stopped her car. 

Deputies surrounded the Rose Street residence and took Hayes into custody.  They executed a search warrant and found the Stoeger 9mm pistol in the seat of a moped. J.N. was shown a photograph of the firearm and confirmed it to be her pistol that Hayes had used to shoot the courthouse.

At the time of the shooting, Hayes’ criminal record included five state felony drug convictions, three convictions for assault on a female, and a felony conviction for assault with a deadly weapon inflicting serious injury.  He had previously been convicted as a habitual felon in state court. 

Michael Easley, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Louise W. Flanagan. The Raleigh and Cary Police Departments, Wake County Sheriff’s Office, and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) investigated the case.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Jake D. Pugh prosecuted.

Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:20-cr-0499-FL.

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RALEIGH, N.C. – Joseph Michael Wilson, also known as “Mike Mike,” 37, of Kinston North Carolina, was sentenced to 108 months in prison for two counts of distribution of a quantity of cocaine. Wilson pled guilty to the charges on November 15, 2022.

“Law enforcement officers put their lives on the line to protect our communities day in and day out,” said U.S. Attorney Michael Easley. “They deserve our utmost respect. This defendant, a violent drug dealer, threatened not only the officers, but also their families. Now he will be spending the next nine years in prison.”

“The Kinston Police Department is committed to working with our federal, state and local law enforcement partners to make our communities safer,” said Interim Kinston Police Department Chief Keith Goyette. “On behalf of the men and women of the Kinston Police Department as well as our citizens, I want to extend my sincere thanks to U.S. Attorney Michael Easley Jr. and his staff at the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of North Carolina for partnering with us to combat crime and prosecute violent offenders within our community.  Cases like this demonstrate the overall strategy and uncompromising determination to eliminate the drug and violent crime plaguing our community.”

According to court documents, evidence presented in court, and other documents, on June 15 and June 20, 2022, the Kinston Police Department made controlled purchases of cocaine from Wilson. Both deals occurred in an area known as the “Kurve” on South Adkins Street in Kinston. 

On July 14, 2022, Wilson was arrested at a residence on Falling Creek Road. Law enforcement searched the residence and found additional cocaine.

The investigation also revealed that prior to his arrest on these charges, Wilson posted several threats against law enforcement on social media, including posting pictures of officers and their families.

Wilson has prior state felony convictions for Voluntary Manslaughter in 2006, Assault with a Deadly Weapon with Intent to Kill in 2006, and Assault Inflicting Serious Bodily Injury in 2015. 

This operation is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launders, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.

Michael Easley, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Terrence W. Boyle. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Kinston Police Department investigated the case and Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy Severo  prosecuted the case.

A copy of this press release is located on our website. Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 4:22-CR-00040-BO.

RALEIGH, N.C. – Edward Whitaker, 55, and Schunda Coleman, 50, pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to commit money laundering for their role in helping dozens of North Carolina residents fraudulently obtain Paycheck Protection Act (“PPP”) COVID-19 loans.

“This couple orchestrated a vast scheme to steal taxpayer money meant to help small businesses weather a global pandemic,” said U.S. Attorney Michael Easley. “Now, they are facing up to 20 years in federal prison. We are vigorously pursuing criminals who ripped off public programs for profit while the pandemic crippled local businesses.”

The married couple from Edinburg, TX, operated a nation-wide scheme to help people across the country commit PPP fraud.  According to the criminal complaint and information summarized in court, Whitaker and Coleman created fraudulent supporting documents and applications for PPP loans, which they provided to individuals for a fee.  In addition to supplying the documents, the pair assisted “clients” in falsifying the number of employees and gross wages paid by a company prior to the COVID pandemic, in order to help them qualify for a PPP loan.  Whitaker would instruct these individuals on how to make it appear that the PPP loan was being paid out to employees, which in reality the money was transferred back to the client.  

According to the criminal information, Whitaker and Coleman collectively facilitated the fraudulent disbursement of more than $15 million in PPP and Economic Injury Disaster Loan Program (EIDL) loans.  To further promote the scheme, the couple utilized middlemen, who were in turn paid a fee, to recruit additional individuals to submit fraudulent loan applications.

Late last year, Quentin Jackson pled guilty in the same conspiracy for both utilizing Whitaker and Coleman to obtain his own fraudulent PPP loans, as well as for recruiting additional individuals in the Eastern District of North Carolina to use Whitaker and Coleman to obtain fraudulent PPP funds.  Jackson ultimately recruited over a dozen individuals to obtain fraudulent PPP loans through Whitaker and Coleman’s scheme.

“The PPP and EIDL programs did not create a limitless pot of money”, said Special Agent in Charge, Donald “Trey” Eakins, IRS Criminal Investigations, Charlotte Field Office. “Economic relief efforts were meant to assist those in most need who have been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Criminals think these funds are an easy target to take advantage of innocent people. Be assured that IRS Criminal Investigation, together with our law enforcement partners and the U.S Attorney’s Office, will hold those accountable who engage in similar behavior.”  

The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act was designed to provide emergency financial assistance to the millions of Americans who were economically suffering from the COVID-19 pandemic.  The CARES Act and additional appropriations authorized up to $649 billion in forgivable loans to small businesses through the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP).  Financial institutions issued the PPP loans, which were guaranteed by the Small Business Administration (SBA).

Whitaker and Coleman both pleaded guilty to Conspiracy to Commit Money Laundering in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1956(h) and face up to 20 years in prison and a potential fine.  

Michael Easley, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after United States Magistrate Judge Robert T. Numbers II accepted the plea.  Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Criminal Investigation is leading the investigation, and Assistant U.S. Attorneys David G. Beraka and Karen K. Haughton are prosecuting the case.

Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:22-cr-00257-D.

RALEIGH, N.C. – An Elizabeth City man was sentenced today to 103 months in prison for being a felon in possession of ammunition.  On October 18, 2022, Amos Dekendric Parker, also known as “Bay Bay,’ pled guilty to the charges.

According to court documents and other information presented in court, Parker, 36, and another man, Tavori Ditron Lindsey, were involved in an early morning shooting on September 5, 2021, at the intersection of East Colonial Avenue and McMorrine Street in Elizabeth City, which is about a block away from the federal courthouse in Elizabeth City.  Street cameras captured the shooting and showed Parker and Lindsey engage in a verbal altercation with a man outside the Cue, a nearby establishment.  Parker can be seen on video surveillance firing a handgun at another man as he fled the area on foot.  Lindsey can also be seen shooting an AR-15 style rifle at the same man.  The Elizabeth City Police Department (ECPD) quickly responded and noticed damage to a nearby building consistent with gun shots.  Officers recovered several .223 caliber and .45 caliber shell casings in the street where the shooting occurred.  The pair were arrested by ECPD and charged with state offenses and they were later indicted in federal court. 

Parker is a convicted felon, having prior convictions for common law robbery, accessory after the fact of robbery with a dangerous weapon, and possession with intent to sell or deliver cocaine and marijuana, as well as several misdemeanor convictions. 

Lindsey also pled guilty to being a felon in possession of ammunition.  Lindsey is scheduled to be sentenced during the Court’s February 2023 term of court. 

Michael Easley, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Terrence W. Boyle. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Elizabeth City Police Department investigated the case and Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert J. Dodson  prosecuted the case.

Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:21-CR-33-BO.

NEW BERN, N.C. – Jamie Christopher Henderson, 47, of Robeson County, was sentenced to 27 years in prison today. The sentence followed a trial last year where a jury found him guilty of all charges for drug trafficking and illegal possession and use of guns to further his drug trafficking.  

“Henderson is a former federal felon who went back to a life of crime. He shot two people at a local racetrack and was found to be trafficking narcotics with stolen handguns and an AR-15,” said U.S. Attorney Michael Easley. “His 35-year sentence should stand as a warning.  Gun violence and drug trafficking will put you in the fast lane to federal prison.” 

“The Robeson County Sheriff’s Office appreciates the hard work and efforts of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in prosecuting this particular case,“ said Robeson County Sheriff Burnis Wilkins.  “This is yet another opportunity to rid our county of a dangerous drug trafficker and felon with a gun that continues to wreak havoc throughout the county.  The Robeson County Sheriff’s Office remains committed to ridding our county of crime and this is an example of that commitment as we continue our partnerships with federal law enforcement.” 

The investigation was initiated after reports of a shooting at the Thunder Valley Racetrack in Robeson County. Henderson shot two people at the racetrack, ran away, and obtained a ride from a local citizen. When the citizen refused to take Henderson any further down a dirt road, Henderson pulled out a handgun, shot the driver’s radio, and continued to run.

Robeson County Sheriff’s Office detectives continued to investigate and identified where Henderson was living and obtained a search warrant. As detectives approached, they saw Henderson toss a handgun under a car in the front yard. When recovered, the handgun was found to be loaded. Baggies of cocaine and crack were found next to the handgun.  Inside of the house, detectives seized two more loaded handguns that were stolen, a loaded AR-15 style rifle, and more cocaine and crack along with baggies and digital scales for selling drugs.

Further investigation revealed a series of videos of Henderson at the house in the days leading up to the search warrant. In these videos, Henderson could be seen selling drugs at all times of the day and night. And in most videos, Henderson was armed with at least one handgun or a rifle. In some instances, Henderson could be seen with multiple firearms while pointing the rifle at approaching cars.

At sentencing, Henderson’s violent history with guns was highlighted. In 2005, he pled guilty in federal court to felon in possession of a firearm after he led detectives on a car chase while pointing a loaded rifle at them.

Michael Easley, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Louise W. Flanagan. The Robeson County Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms investigated the case and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Tyler Lemons and Katherine Englander prosecuted the case.

A copy of this press release is located on our website. Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 7:20-CR-00088-FL.

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WILMINGTON, N.C. – William Brian Coghill was sentenced this past Friday to 10 years in prison followed by 3 years of supervised release for possession of a firearm by a felon after shooting two acquaintances and leaving one for dead at his home in Oxford, North Carolina. This is the statutory maximum sentence available for this offense.  Coghill also pleaded guilty to two counts of first-degree attempted murder in state court and was sentenced to 15 to 19 years.

According to court documents and other information presented in court, on August 14, 2021, Granville County Sheriff’s Office (GCSO) responded to a 911 call regarding a gunshot victim located at Fredrick Road, Oxford, North Carolina. Upon GCSO’s arrival, the first victim, who had a gunshot wound to his right arm, advised that he had been at the residence next door when he was shot. He was then transported via EMS to a local hospital. As deputies tried to find a blood trail to ascertain the first victim’s direction of travel, they heard a male voice groaning from the front porch area of Coghill’s home that he shared with his mother. A second male victim was located on the porch, doubled over, writhing in pain. Victim two had two gunshot wounds to his lower right side/back area and the front lower left abdomen area. The second victim was transported via Life-Flight to a local hospital. 

Minutes after knocking at the doors and windows of the residence, Deputies were permitted inside by Coghill’s mother, and he was found hiding in the attic of the home with a shotgun. Deputies discovered two spent 9mm shell casings on the porch of the residence. Coghill’s mother later told deputies she witnessed her son take the shotgun in one hand, and a black pistol in his other hand, to the porch where the two victims were sitting and began pointing both the shotgun and the pistol at the victims. She stated that both victims begged Coghill not to shoot them. Coghill’s mother stated she was able to take the shotgun away from her son and took the shotgun to her bedroom. She returned to the porch and watched as her son pulled the trigger of the pistol, shooting the first victim, then turned the pistol toward the second victim, and fire again, striking him. Coghill then went into the house, turned out the lights, and forbid his mother from calling for help. The second victim spent several weeks in the hospital and was close to death at one point. He also underwent several surgeries.

Chief U.S. District Judge Richard E. Myers II presided over the sentencing. Granville County Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer May-Parker prosecuted the case.

A copy of this press release is located on our website. Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or PACER by searching for Case No. 5:22-CR-00030-M.

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