Eastern District of North Carolina

RALEIGH, N.C. – A Rocky Mount man was arrested today on charges of dealing firearms without a federal firearms license and possession of a firearm with an obliterated serial number. If convicted, Antonio Joseph Santos, 49, faces a maximum penalty of 120 months.

“Our violent crime strategy in Rocky Mount is focused on bringing those contributing to violent crimes to swift justice and getting illegal guns off the streets,” said U.S. Attorney Michael Easley. “Our close collaboration and partnership across federal, state and local law enforcement enables us to move quickly to bring charges when they are warranted.”

“ATF is committed to keeping firearms out of the hands of prohibited individuals,” said ATF Special Agent in Charge Bennie Mims. “We’ll continue to support the collaborative efforts of our local, state, and federal partners to stop illegal firearms sales.”

“My appreciation goes to the US Attorney’s Office and ATF for working so closely with the Nash County Sheriff’s Office, Edgecombe County Sheriff’s Office, and the Rocky Mount Police Department.  This case is an example of how partnerships between agencies make our communities safer,” commented Nash County Sheriff Keith Stone.  “As we have always done, we will continue to fight the guns, gangs, and drugs in our communities.”

Edgecombe County Sheriff Cleveland Atkinson stated, “It is always great when agencies can partner together.  It's even greater when these partnerships span across several counties to disrupt and prevent criminal activity.”

"The Rocky Mount Police Department will continue to work with our local, state, and federal partners to make our city safer,” said Police Chief Robert Hassell. “Through our partnerships, we will continue to conduct investigations to identify those involved directly or indirectly with illegal gun use, possession, and sales. In addition, we will continue placing more resources on dealing with gun violence in our city."

According to court documents, between May and July 2022, Santos, 49, sold eight (8) firearms illegally to a confidential informant employed by law enforcement in Rocky Mount, North Carolina. Of the eight (8) firearms, one (1) had an obliterated serial number, two (2) had an extended or high-capacity magazine, and two (2) were previously reported stolen. Federal and local agents also surveilled Santos traveling to a storage unit facility in Rocky Mount prior to the various firearm transactions.

On July 8, 2022, agents executed search warrants at Santos’ residence and his storage unit. Inside Santos’ residence, law enforcement located an additional two (2) firearms: one (1) AR-style rifle with a high-capacity magazine and one (1) AK-style rifle that did not bear a serial number. At Santos’ storage unit, law enforcement located an additional four (4) firearms: three (3) rifles and one (1) revolver. One (1) of these firearms was previously reported stolen. Agents also found assorted ammunition and magazines, and pistol conversion kits.

Michael Easley, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Nash County Sheriff’s Office (NCSO), Rocky Mount Police Department (RMPD), and Edgecombe County Sheriff’s Office (ECSO) are investigating the case and Assistant U.S. Attorney Aakash Singh is prosecuting the case.

Related court documents and information are located 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-MJ-1656-BM.

A(n) indictment/criminal complaint is merely an accusation. The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.

WILMINGTON, N.C. – A Wilmington man was sentenced today to 164 months in prison for conspiracy to distribute 50 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing methamphetamine and interference with commerce by robbery and aiding and abetting. On October 5, 2021, Frank Anthony Capuano pled guilty to the charges.

According to court documents and other information presented in court, on June 4, 2019, officers with the Wilmington Police Department responded to an armed robbery at a residence located in Wilmington. The investigation revealed that Capuano and another individual committed the robbery and marijuana vape pens were stolen during the robbery.  Detectives also learned Capuano was distributing methamphetamine in New Hanover County and southeastern North Carolina and law enforcement conducted several controlled purchases of methamphetamine from Capuano. On September 17, 2019, Capuano was arrested, and a search warrant was executed at his house where officers located more than four-thousand dollars ($4,000.00). The investigation revealed that Capuano is responsible for distributing 460 grams of methamphetamine between March 2019 and September 2019 in southeastern North Carolina.

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 (ATF), the Wilmington Police Department, the New Hanover County Sheriff’s Office, and the Pender County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case and Assistant U.S. Attorney Bryan Stephany and Special Assistant United States Attorney William Van Trigt prosecuted the case.

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. 7:20-cr-00073-M.

RALEIGH, N.C. – Today, U.S. Attorney Michael Easley, along with federal and local law enforcement, announced ongoing and coordinated efforts to address violent crime in Raleigh and surrounding areas. The Violent Crime Action Plan (VCAP) is a collaboration of the U.S. Attorney’s Office with the Raleigh Police Department (RPD), the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Wake County District Attorney’s Office, and the United States Marshals Service (USMS). A primary objective of the VCAP is to identify and systematically investigate and prosecute individuals contributing to crime in the city of Raleigh and surrounding areas.

In late June, 27 individuals were indicted by grand juries for federal and state charges and 26 are currently in custody. As part of the initiative, six kilograms of cocaine, 600 bindles of heroin, more than 296 grams of crack, and 15 grams of fentanyl have been seized. In addition, more than $41,000, 26 firearms and more than 200 rounds of ammunition were seized. The gun seizures include a polymer 80 ghost gun.

“Last week, we saw five shooting deaths in Raleigh. Today, we want to put gun-carrying criminals on notice.  We are working with law enforcement at every level to get dangerous, illegal guns and drugs off the street and put gun and drug traffickers behind bars,” said U.S. Attorney Michael Easley. “We will use every tool available to keep our communities safe.”

“The Raleigh Police Department is proud to work alongside our federal partners to investigate and prosecute those who seek to harm our community,” stated Raleigh Police Chief Estella Patterson.  “The indictments in these cases are extremely impactful and will allow Raleigh residents to sleep better knowing guns, drugs, and violence are being removed from their neighborhoods.  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.”

“These indictments and seizures demonstrate the FBI's overall strategy and relentless determination to eradicate the drug-fueled violence plaguing our community. We are proud to work side by side with our law enforcement partners to hold these individuals accountable,” said Robert R. Wells, FBI Charlotte Special Agent in Charge. 

“The United States Marshals Service is committed to working with our federal, state and local law enforcement partners to make our communities safer,” said U.S. Marshal Mike East. “This our second targeted operation to address gun violence in our neighborhoods, and we will conduct similar operations throughout the Eastern District of North Carolina in the future.”

ATF Special Agent in Charge Bennie Mims said, “ATF is proud to be a part of a focused, collaborative effort to remove these individuals from our streets and prevent them from harming our communities again.”

There are a wide range of charges on these subjects including felons in possession of firearms, possession with intent to possess/distribute narcotics, as well as possessing firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking crimes.

The following individuals, all from Raleigh and surrounding areas, face federal prosecution for:

• Braxton Deangleo Benton, 38 (Unlicensed dealing of firearms; Possession of ammunition by felon)
• Elijah Jontay Cooper, 21 (Possession of a firearm by felon)
• Ahmad Rashad Davis, 41 (Possession of a firearm by felon)
• Kala Gail Durham, 28 (Possess with intent to distribute a quantity of heroin/fentanyl mixture; Possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime)
• William Foye, 38 (Possession of a firearm by felon; Possession with intent to distribute a quantity of fentanyl mixture; and Possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime)
• Aurel Hysa, 27 (Possession of a firearm by felon; Possession with intent to distribute quantities of fentanyl and methamphetamine; Possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime)
• Shawn Jabbar Jiles, 50 (Possession of a firearm by felon; Possess with intent to distribute a quantity of cocaine; Possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime)
• Donald Craig Melvin, 51 (Possession of a firearm by felon; Possess with intent to distribute a quantity of heroin/fentanyl mixture; Possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime)
• Bareatta Lamarr Milhouse, 22 (Possession of a firearm by felon; Possess with intent to distribute a quantity of cocaine base (crack); Possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime)
• Steven Antonio Peterson, 31 (Possession of a firearm by felon; Possession of ammunition by felon)
• Jerome Watkins, Jr., 30 (Possession of a firearm by felon)
• Takara Ane Wilson, 24 (False statement during the purchase of a firearm (two counts); Transfer of a firearm to a prohibited person; Unlicensed dealing of firearms)

The defendants below were part of a parallel, months-long Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) operation led by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s (FBI) Raleigh Safe Streets Task Force. An OCDETF investigation is a coordinated federal, state, and local strategy to combat drug trafficking and organized crime, and it is the nation’s primary tool to disrupt and dismantle drug trafficking organizations. 

• Akeem Netron Holder Evans, a/k/a “King,” 32 (Conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine, 280 grams or more of cocaine base (crack), and a quantity of fentanyl; Possess with intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine; Distribution of a quantity of cocaine and fentanyl; Possess with intent to distribute 28 grams or more of cocaine base (crack); Maintaining a dwelling for the purpose of manufacturing, distributing, and storing any controlled substance; Possess with intent to distribute a quantity of marijuana; Possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime; Possession of a firearm by a felon)
• Tray De’Vonta Evans a/k/a “Scrap,” 30 (Conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine, 280 grams or more of cocaine base (crack), and a quantity of fentanyl; Possession of a firearm by a felon; Distribution of a quantity of cocaine base (crack); Possess with intent to distribute 28 grams or more of cocaine base (crack) and marijuana; Maintaining a dwelling for the purpose of manufacturing, distributing, and storing any controlled substance; Possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime)
• William Henry Johnson, Jr., a/k/a “Coach,” 69 (Conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine; Possess with intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine)
• Kara Shontya Jones, 29 (Conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute a quantity of cocaine and fentanyl; Possess with intent to distribute a quantity of cocaine and fentanyl)
• Charles Jermaine Muldrow, 45 (Conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute a quantity of cocaine; Possess with intent to distribute a quantity of cocaine)
• Larry Marnecus Stanford, Jr., 40 (Conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute a quantity of cocaine; Maintaining a dwelling for the purpose of manufacturing, distributing, and storing any controlled substance; Possess with intent to distribute a quantity of cocaine; Possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime)
• Anthony Edward Walton, 49 (Maintaining a dwelling for the purpose of manufacturing, distributing, and storing any controlled substance)
• Rasaun Iran Robinson Wright, a/k/a “Ran,” 39 (Conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine)

In separate, unrelated cases, the following individuals, all from Raleigh and surrounding areas, also face state prosecution for:

• Timothy Autry, 44 (Possession of firearm by a felon; Alter/remove gun serial number; Interfere with emergency communication)
• Jamien Baptist, 22 (Possession of firearm by a felon; Assault by pointing a gun; Carrying concealed gun)
• Marcus Hopkins, 40 (Possession of firearm by a felon; Carrying a concealed gun; Possession of marijuana up to ½ oz; Resisting public officer)
• D’Mani Jeter, 22 (Possession of firearm by a felon, Trafficking fentanyl by possession (two counts); Possession with intent to sell or deliver schedule II-controlled substance)
• Donzell Jones, 23 (Possession of firearm by a felon; Carrying a concealed gun; Habitual felon)
• Sean Neal, 52 (Possession of firearm by a felon; Habitual felon)
• Antonio Townes, 29 (Possession of firearm by a felon; Possession of a stolen firearm; Possession with intent to sell or deliver marijuana; Possession with intent to sell or deliver schedule II-controlled substance; Possession with intent to sell or deliver methamphetamine; Possession of drug paraphernalia)

VCAP is an approach that draws on close partnerships among federal, state, and local law enforcement, as well as the community, to combat violence.  The initiative brings state and federal prosecutors together to prioritize the review of gun crime cases and identify and prosecute repeat offenders and criminal organizations as well as identifying and stopping the sources of guns.  Law enforcement partners use inter-agency coordination and intelligence-led policing, analyzing crime data to deploy resources where they are most needed and leveraging federal Task Force officers to bring federal technology to address local gun violence.

The VCAP initiative is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), which is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. 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.

Michael Easley, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement. RPD, ATF, FBI, the Wake County District Attorney’s Office, and the USMS are involved in the investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brandon Boykin and Robert Dodson are the lead prosecutors for the cases, with assistance from other criminal Assistant U.S. Attorneys in the office.

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

RALEIGH, N.C. – A Wilson man was sentenced today to 120 months in prison for possession of a firearm as a convicted felon and possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. On April 7, 2022, Cody Allen Driver, 32, pled guilty to the charges.

According to court documents and other information presented in court, on January 14, 2021, officers with the Wilson Police Department received information that Driver was in possession of two firearms and methamphetamine at his residence in Wilson, North Carolina. Officers traveled to Driver’s residence and observed Driver outside his residence with a firearm in a holster on his waist. Officers took Driver into custody and secured the .22 caliber pistol from his waist. Officers then conducted a search of Driver’s residence and recovered a sawed-off 12-gauge shotgun, assorted ammunition, a quantity of crystal methamphetamine, and digital scales. At the time, Driver was prohibited from possessing firearms for being a convicted felon. 

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 Wilson Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) investigated the case and Assistant U.S. Attorney Aakash Singh  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-167-D.

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WHEN:       Tuesday, July 12, 2022 at 1:00 PM

WHERE:     Terry Sanford Federal Courthouse

                        Room 158

                        310 New Bern Avenue

                        Raleigh, NC 27601

 

Re:                  27 Indictments Announced as Part of Raleigh Area Violent Crime Strategy

RALEIGH – The United States Attorney’s Office announces a press conference concerning a number of cases indicted through our Violent Crime Action Plan (VCAP) partnership in Raleigh. In the last several weeks, 27 individuals have been indicted by grand juries for federal and state charges.  Significant quantities of cocaine, heroin, fentanyl and crack have been seized.  More than two dozen firearms including one ghost gun have also been seized.

In addition to United States Attorney Michael Easley, Raleigh Police Chief Estella Patterson, FBI Special Agent in Charge Robert Wells, ATF Assistant Special Agent in Charge Anthony Spotswood, and United States Marshal Michael East will be present at this event.

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.

RALEIGH, N.C. –  A three-judge panel from the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals has issued a unanimous, published opinion affirming the trial convictions and multiple life sentences for gang leaders who were convicted on charges of racketeering (RICO), drug trafficking, and gang-related murders.

“These gang leaders used gun violence, intimidation, and murder to terrorize parts of Raleigh for nearly two decades” said U.S. Attorney Michael Easley. “The Court’s ruling ensures they will spend the rest of their lives behind bars.  We will never stop seeking justice for victims of gun violence and we will ensure sentences reflect the severity of the crime committed.”  

Demetrice R. Devine, a/k/a “Respect,” of Garner and Brandon Jowan Magnum, a/k/a “B-Easy,” of Knightdale were convicted in October 2019 for Conspiracy to Participate in a Pattern of Racketeering (RICO conspiracy), two counts of Murder in Aid of Racketeering, two counts of Murder with a Firearm During and in Relation to  a crime of Violence, Conspiracy to Distribute and Possess with the Intent to Distribute Controlled Substances, and Conspiracy to Commit Witness Tampering.

In 2020, Devine was sentenced to four consecutive terms of life imprisonment followed by a term of 240 months imprisonment and 5 years supervised release.  Mangum was sentenced to three consecutive life sentences plus 240 months in prison. Devine and Mangum appealed the sentence on numerous counts, all of which were rejected by the Court.

Demetrice Devine is currently serving his life sentences at the “Supermax” Federal Prison in Colorado, as recommended the Court at the sentencing hearing.

Evidence presented at trial and other public documents established that Devine was the leader of the Gangsta Killer Bloods (GKB), and then created the Black Mob Gangstas (BMG), which became part of the Donald Gee Family (DGF) organization.  The BMG/DGF are sets of the “Bloods” gang whose members committed various crimes in the city of Raleigh and especially in the area of Haywood Street.  

Mangum was another high-ranking member of BMG/DGF. BMG/DGF members committed acts of violence to maintain membership and discipline, both within the gang and against non-gang members. Members committed acts of violence, including murder, attempted murder, and assaults, in order to maintain their positions within the gang and to be promoted within the leadership structure of the gang.

BMG/DGF also held gang meetings to communicate gang information, to recruit members, issue punishment and collect gang dues from each BMG/DGF member for the benefit of the BMG/DGF organization. A portion of the dues were saved and utilized locally in what was referred to as a “community rent box” (CRB) while another portion was sent up the chain of command to gang leadership in Virginia and New York. BMG/DGF members were permitted to earn their money for dues through various methods, including, but not limited to, robberies, fraud schemes, and drug distribution. The monies were used locally for loans to gang members, for drug purchases, for firearm purchases, for gifts, and cellular telephones for high-ranking members who were in jail. Devine ordered that individuals selling narcotics in and around Haywood Street who were not BMG/DGF members were also required to pay gang dues in order to continue their drug sales in territory controlled by BMG/DGF. Individuals who did not pay gang dues risked being robbed, assaulted, or murdered.

In his leadership position, Devine directed members of his gang to shoot a 16-year-old rival gang member, Adarius Fowler, who died from gunshot wounds. He also ordered a gang member to shoot a person who provided information to law enforcement regarding the murder of Fowler. While this person was recovering from those gunshot injuries in the hospital, Devine ordered that the person be killed.

Devine presided over a “beat-in” gang initiation of a BMG/DGF gang member and personally assaulted another gang member whose loyalty he questioned. Devine conspired with other gang members to silence and threaten gang members that had been provided subpoenas to testify in a federal proceeding.

Mangum, along with other gang members, conspired to shoot an 18-year-old rival gang member, Rodriguez Burrell, because he refused to pay money to BMG/DGF. Burrell was shot multiple times in the presence of his father and died of his wounds.

In affirming the convictions and sentences, the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals concluded that “Devine’s desire for ‘respect’ at all costs led to the murder of Adarius Fowler, while the Gangstas’ insatiable desire for ‘money’ led to the execution of Rodriguez Burrell. This collective malevolence . . . led to a neighborhood where so many deserved so much better and where respect for the old and opportunities for the young existed no longer.”

Devine and Mangum both sold drugs on behalf of BMG/ DGF. Specifically, the jury found Devine guilty of conspiracy to distribute and possession with the intent to distribute more than 280 grams of cocaine base (crack), more than 500 grams of cocaine, and a quantity of marijuana. Devine frequently provided drugs to lower ranking gang members for further distribution into the community. The jury found Mangum guilty of conspiracy to distribute and possession with the intent to distribute a quantity of cocaine and marijuana.

The prosecution of Devine and Mangum was a part of an Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force Operation (OCDETF) targeting violent gang members and drug traffickers in Raleigh, North Carolina.

Michael Easley, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals issued its opinion. The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Raleigh Police Department led the investigation with assistance from the North Carolina Department of Public Safety, Wake County Sheriff’s Office, Raleigh/ Wake City-County Bureau of Identification, United States Marshal’s Service, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the North Carolina Office of the Chief Medical Examiner.  

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Dena King (now U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina) and Scott Lemmon (now Deputy Criminal Chief for the Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force, or OCDETF, section of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of North Carolina) prosecuted this case with Christina Taylor with the U.S. Department of Justice Criminal Division’s Organized Crime and Gang Section.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Kristine Fritz defended the case before the Appellate Court.

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. 5:16-cr-00012-D.

Court documents for the appellate cases can be found on the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals PACER website by searching for Case Nos. 20-4280 and 20-4327.

RALEIGH, N.C. – A Robeson County man was sentenced today to 120 months in prison for conspiracy to distribute and possessing with the intent to distribute thousands of illegal prescription pills including oxycodone, oxymorphone, hydrocodone, and methadone.  On February 16, 2021, Jeffrey Randal Brooks, Jr., pleaded guilty to the charges, including possessing a firearm in furtherance of his drug crimes.

“This defendant was involved in a complex scheme to illegally obtain and sell prescription drugs furthering addiction and harming our communities,” said U.S. Attorney Michael Easley. “We will continue to do all that we can to get drug dealers off the streets, raise awareness and keep our communities safe.”

Jeffrey Randal Brooks, Jr., 42, was stopped by law enforcement in 2019 and 2020, with illicit pills for distribution. Subsequent search warrants resulted in the seizure of more than 2,500 pills, $80,000, and a loaded handgun. Brooks was previously convicted of similar crimes in North Carolina and Virginia.

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 Drug Enforcement Administration and Robeson County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case and Assistant U.S. Attorney Tyler Lemons 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-00043-BO-1.

RALEIGH, N.C. – Jason Patterson, 29, of Raleigh, was sentenced today to 84 months in prison for possessing cocaine with intent to distribute and for being a felon in possession of a firearm.  Patterson pled guilty to the charges on February 16, 2022. 

According to court records and statements made during hearings, on August 12, 2020, the Raleigh Police Department executed a search warrant at Jason Patterson’s Raleigh residence based on drug distribution activity.  Minutes before they executed the search warrant, officers observed Patterson arrive at the home with a red bookbag and then leave again without the bag.  Officers in marked patrol vehicles attempted to stop Patterson, but he fled on foot and was taken into custody after a short foot chase.  They saw Patterson throw an object over a brick wall, and with assistance from a K-9, they located two bags containing 35 grams of cocaine.

Officers proceeded with the home search, and on the kitchen counter, they found the red bookbag that they had seen Patterson holding.  It contained a plastic bag of 48 grams of cocaine, another smaller bag of cocaine, a digital scale, and cash.  In a kitchen cabinet, officers found glass jars containing marijuana and cocaine, a digital scale, sandwich bags, and a container of rolled marijuana joints.  In a nightstand by the master bedroom, officers found a Steyr 9mm handgun.  From a brown cardboard box in the master bedroom closet, they recovered a black 9mm Polymer handgun with a 30-round extended magazine. 

Prior to his federal prosecution, Patterson had accrued eight North Carolina felony convictions for drug offenses, as well as a felony conviction for assault by strangulation.

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 and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) conducted the investigation.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Jake D. Pugh 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-0029-BO.

RALEIGH, N.C. – A Raleigh woman pleaded guilty today to Healthcare Fraud.

According to the Criminal Information and evidence summarized in Court, Tanya Parrish Grant, 51, of Raleigh, pled guilty to a health care fraud that she carried out between 2017 and 2021 through two companies she controlled – Carolina Rehab Products, Inc., (CRP) also known as Atlantic Brace, in Raleigh; and Blue File DME, LLC (Blue File), in Dunn.  These companies were licensed with Medicare to supply durable medical equipment (DME) to Medicare beneficiaries.  DME consists of products such as back, shoulder, knee, and wrist braces.

Grant caused CRP and Blue File to bill Medicare for more than $50 Million between 2014 and 2021, of which Medicare paid Grant more than $17 Million.  Grant used these funds to purchase, among other things, a home near Cameron Village in Raleigh; a townhome in Ft. Lauderdale, a Porche, several Land Rovers, and to amass more than a million in cash and investments.

The investigation showed that to generate revenues, Grant was paying companies in India and Pakistan to provide her with lists of Medicare patient names and identifying information.  These lists of patients were purportedly derived from call centers overseas that contacted Medicare patients to inquire about their need for DME. Grant then caused her companies to bill Medicare for DME that she purportedly supplied to the patients.   

While Grant and her companies were obligated to have written physician orders to support all of her claims to Medicare, the evidence ultimately showed that this was not the case.  In many instances, Grant billed Medicare without supporting physician orders, and without shipping products.  Even when patients receiving equipment in the mail returned the equipment, Grant did not reimburse Medicare for the equipment.  The investigation also showed that Grant’s companies billed Medicare in the names of some 422 deceased individuals.  When audited by Medicare contractors, the evidence showed Grant would forge physician orders if no such order existed in her files to support her billings.

The scheme was halted in 2021 when Grant’s home and offices were searched, and her assets described above were seized as forfeitable property.

Grant pleaded guilty to a violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1347 and faces a maximum of up to ten years in prison when sentenced later this year.

Michael Easley, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Terrence W. Boyle accepted the plea. The United States Department of Health and Human Services Office of the Inspector General, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation,  investigated the case.  Assistant U.S. Attorney William M. Gilmore 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. 7:21-CR-136-M.

WILMINGTON, N.C. – A Goldsboro man was sentenced yesterday to 120 months in prison for trafficking methamphetamine.  On March 22, 2022, Steven Eugene Patrick pled guilty to the charges.

According to court documents and other information presented in court, in March 2021, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (“ATF”) and Goldsboro Police Department began investigating Patrick and others in connection with the distribution of methamphetamine in and around Goldsboro.  At the time of the investigation, Patrick, who has 17 criminal convictions during the last 34 years, was on state post-release supervision which required him to wear an ankle monitor and stay in the immediate proximity of his residence.  On March 4, 2021, law enforcement was able to conduct a controlled purchase of more than 50 grams of crystal methamphetamine from Patrick.  Because Patrick’s ankle monitor required him to stay close to his house, the drug sale occurred in the street just outside his home.

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 Goldsboro Police Department and the ATF investigated the case and Assistant U.S. Attorney Dennis M. Duffy 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-00351-M-1.

RALEIGH, N.C. – A federal grand jury returned a two-count indictment charging Abhishek Krishnan, a citizen of the Republic of India, with theft of government property and aggravated identity theft regarding his receipt of unemployment insurance benefits funded by the federal government in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

According to the indictment, Krishnan, age 39, was a fugitive from justice, living outside the United States, when he received approximately $40,650 in pandemic unemployment assistance obtained by using other people’s identities in his fraudulent application. 

The indictment alleges that Krishnan stole federal funds earmarked for North Carolina residents who had become unemployed due to the pandemic.  The second count alleges that he used the means of identification of three real people to perpetrate the theft. If convicted, the defendant faces ten-years in prison for theft of government property followed by a mandatory two years in prison for aggravated identity theft.

Previously, in 2019, Krishnan was charged with mail fraud, introducing adulterated and misbranded foods into interstate commerce and money laundering related to the sale of protein powders by his company, American Pure Whey. The 43-count superseding indictment was returned by a separate federal grand jury, also in the Eastern District of North Carolina, after an investigation by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. If convicted of those charges, Krishnan’s faces a statutory maximum of more than 300 years in prison.   

The 2018 superseding indictment sought forfeiture of approximately six million dollars in fraud proceeds by the defendant.  The government successfully obtained civil orders of forfeiture after the Court found Krishnan was outside the United States and refused to reenter with the specific intent to avoid prosecution. It was during the time that the forfeiture was being contested that the unemployment insurance fraud allegedly occurred. 

Michael Easley, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement.  The United States Marshal Service is investigating the case and Assistant U.S. Attorney Susan B. Menzer 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. – An Edenton man was sentenced today to 91 months in prison for possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and felon in possession of a firearm. On July 14, 2021, Rayshawn Lamont Anthony, pled guilty to the charges.

“One of our top priorities is keeping North Carolinians safe from dangerous narcotics traffickers pushing fentanyl in our communities, which has caused countless overdoses and taken far too many lives,” said U.S. Attorney Michael Easley.  “We are working closely with law enforcement across Eastern North Carolina to prosecute narcotics trafficking and the violence so often associated with the drug trade.  We are committed to working with Chief King to keep Edenton a safe place for people to live, work, and raise a family.” 

“The Edenton Police Department is committed to working closely with our citizens towards a crime free community. We will continue to partner with The United States Department of Justice, The Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosive and The First Judicial District.  If you are a convicted felon in possession of a firearm and you meet the criteria, we will seek federal prosecution and you will end up on our next video,” said Edenton Police Chief Henry King. 

According to court documents and other information presented in court, Anthony, 30, came to the attention of the Edenton Police Department after he was found walking down the highway away from a vehicle.  An officer stopped to see if Anthony needed assistance, but he declined.  After seeing suspicious items in plain view inside the vehicle, the officer located Anthony again after receiving a report that Anthony had just stolen a separate vehicle.  Officers used a K9 unit to conduct an open-air sniff around the first vehicle which alerted to the presence of narcotics.  Upon a search, officers located 12 individually wrapped packages of fentanyl and a loaded 9mm firearm along with Anthony’s identification card.  Anthony was arrested on state charges and released on bond.  While out on bond, Anthony was encountered again by the Edenton Police Department in a traffic stop in which he was a passenger.  Officers found him in possession of cocaine and a stolen .380 caliber firearm.  He was subsequently taken into federal custody and detained.

Anthony qualifies as a Career Offender under federal law, having two prior felony drug convictions: sell and deliver a Schedule II controlled substance and possession with intent to distribute cocaine.  His other convictions include a prior felon in possession of a firearm, possession of marijuana, maintaining a dwelling for controlled substances, possession of drug paraphernalia, and driving while license revoked. 

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 Edenton Police Department, the Chowan County Sheriff’s Office, and the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation (SBI) 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-00004-FL.

NEW BERN, N.C. –Kijuan Haassan Sharp was sentenced today in federal court to 92 months’ imprisonment for his conviction for bank robbery. Additionally, he was ordered to pay $160,600.00 in restitution.

Sharp pleaded guilty to one count of bank robbery on January 14, 2022.

According to court documents and other information presented in court, on August 5, 2019, Kijuan Sharp entered a SunTrust Bank in Raleigh. Sharp told an employee he was there to open a bank account. Sharp, who was carrying a plastic grocery bag, was escorted to the employee’s office, where Sharp placed the bag on her desk. The employee observed what she thought was a bomb inside the bag. Sharp then gave the employee a handwritten note stating that “there is a bomb in the bag, I have a surveillance van and if police are alerted the bomb will go off, place as much money as you can in the bag.”  The employee went to the bank vault and gave $160,000 to Sharp. Sharp fled the bank and got away. It was later determined that the bomb was a hoax.  The FBI and Raleigh Police Dept. received a tip that Sharp was the bank robber. Sharp also began posting himself holding stacks of money and wearing similar clothes as the bank robber on social media. Several days after the robbery, Sharp purchased a new car. Agents obtained a search warrant for Sharp’s residence and found receipts for $50,000 in recently purchased jewelry, men’s designer clothes with price tags still on them, and the components that Sharp used to make the hoax explosive device.

Daniel P. Bubar, First Assistant 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 and the Raleigh Police Department investigated the case and  Assistant U.S. Attorney  Jane J. Jackson  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-00384-FL-1.

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NEW BERN, N.C. – A federal jury convicted a Red Springs man yesterday on multiple charges of cocaine and crack distribution, possession of firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking crimes, and being a felon in possession of firearms.

According to court records and evidence presented at trial, Jamie Christopher Henderson, 47, was under investigation by the Robeson County Sheriff’s Office after they received a report of a shooting at the Thunder Valley Racetrack in Robeson County. Henderson had shot two people at the racetrack.   Henderson then traveled to a nearby gas station and asked for a ride from a local citizen.  The citizen obliged but refused to turn down a dirt road. Henderson pulled out a handgun, shot the driver’s radio, and fled.

Detectives determined where Henderson was living at the time and obtained a search warrant for the house.  As detectives arrived to execute the warrant, three detectives observed Henderson in the front yard as he threw a black handgun underneath a parked car.  Baggies of cocaine and crack were also recovered next to the handgun.  Detectives continued to execute the search warrant and recovered two more handguns (both stolen) in the house, an AR-15 style rifle, and more crack and cocaine along with drug distribution materials.  All of the weapons seized were loaded.

Additional evidence revealed videos of Henderson at the house in the days leading up to execution of the search warrant. In these videos, Henderson conducted drug deals at the house on seven different occasions, most often while armed with a handgun.  The videos also showed Henderson possessing multiple handguns, sometimes two at one time, and pointing a loaded AR-15 style rifle at vehicles in the roadway that were approaching the house at night.  

In 2005, Henderson was convicted of being a felon in possession of a firearm in the Eastern District of North Carolina.

Henderson faces a mandatory sentence of 10 years up to life imprisonment. If he is determined to be an Armed Career Criminal, then he faces a mandatory sentence of 25 years up to life imprisonment.

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 Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Robeson County Sherriff’s Office are investigating the case and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Tyler Lemons and Assistant U.S. Attorney Katherine Schuh 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.7:20-cr-00088-FL-1.

RALEIGH, N.C. – A man who shot at a Warren County Sheriff’s Deputy was sentenced yesterday in federal court to 120 months’ imprisonment for being a felon in possession of a firearm.  Rodriguez Crudup pled guilty to the charge on March 23, 2022.

U.S. Attorney Easley stated, “We stand with and will protect law enforcement who respond to dangerous situations.  Our office will continue to prosecute armed felons who threaten our community.” 

According to court documents and other information presented in court, on December 28, 2021, during the early morning hours, a deputy with the Warren County Sheriff’s Office responded to a domestic disturbance call at a residence in Warrenton, North Carolina.  The deputy was advised that Crudup, who was at the residence, took the victim’s loaded firearm and ran from the residence into the woods. The deputy heard Crudup running in the woods and ran towards the area identifying himself as a Warren County Sheriff’s Officer.  At this time a single shot was discharged by the defendant and the deputy heard the crack of a projectile pass over his head. The deputy retreated and took cover at his vehicle as he called additional units. Crudup was later arrested, and the loaded firearm was found in the woods where Crudup had been. An assessment of the firearm revealed it had jammed after the first round was discharged. Crudup’s prior convictions include breaking and entering, and two prior convictions for being a felon in possession of a firearm.  Judge James C. Dever rejected the defendant’s arguments that this was an accidental discharge and found the defendant intentionally fired his weapon at a law enforcement officer. The defendant was sentenced to the maximum sentence he could receive.

Michael Easley, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District James C. Dever.  The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the State Bureau of Investigation and the Warren County Sheriff’s Office  investigated the case and Assistant U.S. Attorneys  Jane J. Jackson  and Yasir Sadat prosecuted the case.

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. 5:22-cr-00014-D-1.

RALEIGH, N.C. – A Rocky Mount woman was sentenced yesterday to 71 months in prison for conspiring to distribute heroin and fentanyl and conspiring to make false statements during the purchase of firearms. On February 10, 2022, Vernisha Suggs pled guilty to the charges.

“We are not just prosecuting those who pull the trigger,” said U.S. Attorney Michael Easley. “We are also targeting those who supply the crime guns fueling violence in our communities. I applaud the ATF, Rocky Mount Police Department and Nash County Sheriff’s Office for their work on our Violent Crime Action Plan (VCAP) to keep Rocky Mount a safe place to work and raise a family.”   

According to court documents and other information presented in court, Suggs, 35, engaged in a conspiracy from 2018 through 2020 to purchase numerous firearms on behalf of Bloods gang members from federally licensed firearms dealers in Rocky Mount.  Though Suggs completed paperwork during each purchase attesting that she was purchasing the firearms for her own use, she would then transfer possession of the firearms to local Bloods gang members.  One of these handguns was recovered after being used in a gang-related shootout at 1041 Long Avenue in Rocky Mount, North Carolina on July 28, 2019.  Several other firearms that Suggs purchased were recovered from Bloods gang members during traffic stops or search warrants conducted during investigations into other shootings and drug trafficking activity. 

Suggs also assisted Bloods gang members in their effort to distribute fentanyl and heroin throughout Nash and Edgecombe Counties.  Suggs’ Rocky Mount residence was used as a meeting spot for out of state drug suppliers to bring deliveries of fentanyl/heroin mixtures.  She also provided a rental vehicle that was used in an attempt to transport a mixture of fentanyl and heroin from New York back to the Rocky Mount area. 

“Anyone that knowingly puts firearms into the hands of dangerous, prohibited individuals is jeopardizing the entire community,” said ATF Special Agent in Charge Bennie Mims. “The consequences can be severe for those involved in illegal firearms purchases.”

"The men and women of the Rocky Mount Police Department will continue investigating violent firearms-related crimes. We are committed to identifying the trigger pullers and those purchasing firearms for individuals committing these violent acts. We will continue reducing violent crime as we target those contributing to these heinous acts of violence, both directly and indirectly," said Rocky Mount Police Chief Robert Hassell. 

“This is another example of local and federal partnerships,” stated Nash County Sheriff Keith Stone.  “This case proves again that spreading poison in our community and possessing firearms to help facilitate criminal activity will not be tolerated and the consequences are significant.”

VCAP is a three-pronged approach drawing on close partnerships among federal, state, and local law enforcement, as well as the community, to combat violence. 

• Focused and strategic enforcement bringing state and federal prosecutors together to prioritize the review of gun crime cases and identify and prosecute the most significantly violent repeat offenders and criminal organizations as well as identifying and stopping the sources of guns.
• Inter-Agency coordination and intelligence-led policing to analyze crime data to deploy resources where they are most needed and leveraging federal Task Force officers to bring federal technology to address local gun violence.
• Community engagement including youth education, offender re-entry programs and sustained dialogue with the communities most affected by the violence.

 

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 Explosives, Rocky Mount Police Department, and the Nash 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-289-2.

RALEIGH, N.C. – Today, U.S. Attorney Michael Easley announced preliminary results from the Rocky Mount Violent Crime Action Plan (VCAP), implemented last month, in collaboration with the Rocky Mount Police Department, the Nash County Sheriff’s Office, the Edgecombe County Sheriff’s Office, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and the Department of Homeland Security – Homeland Security Investigations (HSI). Prosecutors from the Eighth Judicial District Attorney’s Office and the U.S. Attorney’s Office are also engaged in the effort. 

“We made a commitment to get illegal guns off the streets in Rocky Mount to stop the wave of gun violence terrorizing the community,” said Easley. “In just a few short weeks, we have identified and arrested four individuals with illegal guns in the Rocky Mount area, and our work will continue.  I am proud of the collaborative work of our federal, state and local law enforcement partners, in conjunction with the community to investigate and bring those perpetrating violence to swift justice.”

To date, federal charges have been brought against four individuals.  If convicted, defendants each face up to ten years in federal prison.

According to court documents, the following individuals were arrested on federal charges for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon:

• Jaquan Raqueze Harris, 27
• Donnell Hikeen Ricks, 31
• Montriel Lee Wilder, 37
• Jaumarous Eugene Moore, 34

VCAP is a three-pronged approach drawing on close partnerships among federal, state, and local law enforcement, as well as the community, to combat violence. 

• Focused and strategic enforcement bringing state and federal prosecutors together to prioritize the review of gun crime cases and identify and prosecute the most significantly violent repeat offenders and criminal organizations as well as identifying and stopping the sources of guns.
• Inter-Agency coordination and intelligence-led policing to analyze crime data to deploy resources where they are most needed and leveraging federal Task Force officers to bring federal technology to address local gun violence.
• Community engagement including youth education, offender re-entry programs and sustained dialogue with the communities most affected by the violence.

 

"The Rocky Mount Police Department will continue our efforts to strategically target and arrest individuals committing violent crimes in our city. We value the relationship with our Federal, State, and Local partners as we place more resources on strengthening criminal investigations and prosecutions," stated Chief Robert Hassell. 

“The threat of illegal guns on our streets is serious and real,” said ATF Special Agent in Charge Bennie Mims. “But the commitment from our local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies to hold those responsible for the violent crime in the community is strong and our efforts are seeing results. ATF is proud to be a part of this multi-faceted strategy to protect public safety.”

Michael Easley, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement.  The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Rocky Mount Police Department are investigating the cases and Assistant U.S. Attorney Aakash Singh is prosecuting the cases.

A copy of this press release is located on our website. 

A(n) indictment/criminal complaint is merely an accusation. The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.

RALEIGH, N.C. – An Arizona man was sentenced on Tuesday to assaulting a federal law enforcement officer at the Federal Medical Center in Butner, North Carolina (“FMC Butner”).    

According to court documents, Michael Anthony Mata, 47, an inmate at FMC Butner at the time of the offense, struck the law enforcement officer in the face after the officer told him he was in an unauthorized area and asked him to return to his assigned housing unit.  As a result of the contact, the officer suffered a severe fracture to his left orbital wall that required surgical repair. 

“The brave men and women who put themselves on the line every day to keep the rest of us safe, have the well-deserved support of our Office,” stated Michael Easley, U.S. Attorney.  “We will vigorously prosecute anyone who assaults a correctional officer, or any other law enforcement personnel, and seek a firm punishment to deter others who may be inclined to do the same.”

Citing Mata’s extensive criminal history and the severity of the assault, United States Federal District Court Judge James C. Dever III sentenced Mata to 114 months in prison.  Mata previously pled guilty to the count of Assault on a Federal Officer on March 9, 2022.

Michael Easley, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement.  The Federal Bureau of Prisons investigated the case and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Mallory Brooks Storus prosecuted the case.

Related court documents and information are located 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-00507-BR.

NEW BERN, N.C. – Jesse Lamont Jenkins was sentenced this week in federal court to 92 months’ imprisonment for his role in an armed robbery of an ABC store located on Westwood Drive in Rocky Mount, NC.

Jenkins pleaded guilty to one count of Hobbs Act robbery on December 14, 2021.

“Hardworking people should never be threatened at gunpoint for simply doing their jobs,” said U.S. Attorney Easley.  “We are committed to keeping Rocky Mount a safe place to work and raise a family – and we will keep partnering with local law enforcement to take violent career criminals off the streets of Eastern North Carolina.” 

According to court documents and other information presented in court, on August 10, 2019, Jenkins, 30 years old, and Eric Montrell Mobley, entered the ABC store located on Westwood Drive in Rocky Mount. The robbers brandished a firearm demanding money and threatened to “smoke” the employees if they did not comply with their requests.  Jenkins and Mobley took $3, 316.72 and fled the store.  Jenkins and Mobley were later arrested.  Mobley is scheduled for sentencing in July.

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 and the Rocky Mount Police Department  investigated the case and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jane J. Jackson  prosecuted the case.

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. 5:20-cr-00290-FL-2.

RALEIGH, N.C. – A Holly Springs man was sentenced yesterday by Judge Louise W. Flanagan to a total of 140 months followed by 20 years of supervised release for Receipt of Child Pornography.  On March 9, 2021, Ryan Evers, 28, pled guilty to the charge.

According to court documents and other information presented in court, in September 2018, Evers was communicating online via social media with a minor child.   During the conversations, Evers discussed wanting to have sexual intercourse with the child and encouraged the child to send sexually explicit images to Evers.  The child posed for pictures in the way Evers encouraged and sent the photographs to Evers. 

The social media site reported the child pornography images to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC).  NCMEC forwarded the information to the appropriate law enforcement agency in the state in which the child lived for investigation.  Search warrants were executed on the social media site for the contents of the conversations between Evers and the minor child.  Law enforcement officers were able to identify Evers though the IP address used during the online communications with the child and photographs that he sent the child.  At the time of the communications, Evers lived in Holly Springs, North Carolina.

The child was identified and later disclosed there had been video calls with Evers during which the child sexually penetrated himself with objects encouraged by Evers. 

Michael Easley, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after the sentencing by U.S. District Judge Louise W. Flanagan.  Homeland Security Investigations investigated the case.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Charity Wilson  prosecuted the case.

This case was part of the Project Safe Childhood initiative, a national program aimed at ensuring that criminals exploiting children are effectively prosecuted by making full use of all available law enforcement resources at every level.  For more information about this important national project, Project Safe Childhood, go to www.projectsafechildhood.gov.

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-00407-FL.

WILMINGTON, N.C. – Alterick Wallisima Boyd of Winterville, NC, was sentenced today to 210 months in prison for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 5 kilograms or more of cocaine, 280 grams or more of cocaine base (crack), 40 grams or more of fentanyl, and 50 grams or more of a mixture containing methamphetamine; and distribution of 28 grams or more of cocaine base (crack).  

On February 16, 2021, Boyd entered a plea of guilty to the charges.

“Working with law enforcement at every level to stop the trafficking of dangerous and illegal drugs in our communities is a top priority for this office,” said U.S. Attorney Michael Easley. “This defendant, and his co-conspirators, will now be spending significant time behind bars rather than peddling significant quantities of drugs on the streets.”

According to court documents and other information presented in court, the investigation began in October 2018 when agents of the Greenville Regional Drug Task Force (GRDTF) in Greenville, North Carolina, received information that Boyd obtained narcotics from a source in Atlanta and was distributing large quantities of cocaine and heroin in Pitt County, North Carolina.  Boyd would often hide his drugs in a concealed area, or “trap”, in his vehicle.

Agents determined that Boyd would bring 4–5 kilograms of cocaine and 1–2 kilograms of heroin per trip from Atlanta to North Carolina. The investigation showed that Boyd was working with several co-conspirators, including Michael Aaron Cartwright and Antoinette Charmane Becton.

On January 2, 2019, agents saw Boyd meeting with Cartwright. Agents conducted a traffic stop of Cartwright and seized 1.3 kilograms of cocaine in a hidden compartment in the rear passenger floorboard.

The same day, Boyd was arrested and found in possession of cocaine and a stolen handgun. Agents then searched Boyd’s residence and seized $32,840, a .22 caliber handgun, ammunition, and approximately one kilogram of heroin.

Investigators also searched a trailer used by Boyd. They seized 1.5 kilograms of heroin and 99 grams of a mixture containing fentanyl.

From October 2019 until February 2020, agents also conducted controlled purchases of cocaine, cocaine base (crack), and 1.2 kilograms of 100% pure crystal methamphetamine from Boyd and Antoinette Becton.

Boyd, Becton, and Cartwright were charged by federal indictment on February 19, 2020. Boyd’s co-defendants have previously been sentenced:

• Michael Aaron Cartwright): 81 months imprisonment; and

 

• Antoinette Charmane Becton, a/k/a “Charmane Cox”): 166 months imprisonment; $222,461 in restitution to the Internal Revenue Service.

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 Greenville Regional Drug Task Force (GRDTF), the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) investigated the case, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Scott A. Lemmon prosecuted the case.

This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, 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.

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. 4:20-CR-0016-M.

RALEIGH, N.C. – Today, as the Department of Justice recognizes World Elder Abuse Awareness Day, Michael Easley, the United States Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, reaffirms the Eastern District of North Carolina’s commitment to combating elder abuse and financial exploitation.  Mr. Easley commented: “Our seniors deserve our best efforts to prosecute those who attempt to capitalize on their vulnerabilities.  As the Department of Justice continues to fight elder abuse on the national scale, we are doing justice for elderly victims in North Carolina.”

Examples of our commitment to prosecuting crimes that target and disproportionately impact our elders include the following:

Financial Fraud

On February 3, 2022, Furman Alexander Ford, of Raleigh, North Carolina, was sentenced to 132 months in prison for eleven counts of mail fraud, eleven counts of wire fraud, and two counts of aggravated identity theft.  Ford was a New York Life (NYL) financial advisor who was advising a 72-year-old client who had recently inherited real property valued at $1.3 million.

Ford assisted in the sale of the property and the setting-up of a charitable annuity trust with NYL using the sale proceeds.  The victim was his primary client while employed at NYL.  As part of Ford’s responsibility as the victim’s financial agent, he drafted and submitted letters of        withdrawal from the client’s annuity account to pay for certain expenses.   The funds would then be electronically wired to the recipient as directed by the client.

During the investigation however, agents identified twenty separate fraudulent letters of withdrawal drafted by Ford and submitted to NYL headquarters in New York, NY.  The letters were all mailed by Ford from his office in Raleigh.  The funds requested ranged from $5,000 to $45,000 and totaled over $376,000.  The proceeds were then electronically wired by NYL to Ford’s personal checking account.  An FBI financial analysis traced the funds to the purchase by Ford of various personal items, including a BMW vehicle, Rolex watches, firearms, child support, and a cruise to the Bahamas. On December 29, 2014, Ford withdrew an additional $1 million from his client’s annuity account.  In total, Ford stole over $1.3 million from the elderly victim.

Romance Scams:

On March 17, 2022, Oluwadamilare Kolaogunbule, of Smyrna, Georgia, was sentenced to 71 months in prison for conspiracy to commit money laundering.  Between 2014 and 2018, Kolaogunbule opened, maintained, and controlled approximately 20 different bank accounts at multiple financial institutions that were used to receive more than $2 million in romance scam proceeds derived from elderly citizens and other victims.  Romance scammers exploit victims who are looking for companionship by creating fake profiles on online dating websites that include false personal details, such as the death of a spouse or military service.  After creating the illusion of a romantic relationship to gain the victim’s trust, the scammer will typically solicit the victim for money to alleviate some fabricated crisis, such as a medical or business emergency.

More than 60 victims were directed to send money to Kolaogunbule’s accounts, many of which were titled in the names of purported export companies, including DSC Exports and Belmont Integrated Logistics.  In fact, these companies were fronts for Kolaogunbule’s money laundering business. 

Our office will continue to pursue and bring to justice those who target our seniors to rob them of their life savings.

RALEIGH, N.C. – Emmanuel Wesner Jean, owner of Jean Tax Services (JTS), a tax preparation business located in Lumberton, N.C., was arrested today on charges of tax fraud. In the criminal complaint, which was unsealed today, Jean is charged with aiding and assisting in the preparation and presentation of a false and fraudulent return, in violation of Title 26, United States Code, Section 7206(2).

“Tax fraud is a crime that victimizes all of us,” said U.S. Attorney Michael Easley. “Working closely with IRS Criminal Investigation, we will continue to investigate and prosecute these cases.”

According to the allegations in the complaint, Jean falsified the federal income tax returns of at least two JTS clients without their knowledge, by claiming false tax information that minimized their tax liabilities and maximized their refund amounts. The clients learned that Jean claimed these credits on their tax returns when they were subsequently audited by the IRS and required to repay the monies they received. The complaint also alleged that Jean falsified a return prepared as part of an undercover investigation by the IRS.

Jean was arrested at the Raleigh-Durham International Airport attempting to board a flight to Haiti.  At his initial appearance today, Jean was ordered to be held in custody pending further proceedings. Jean faces a statutory maximum penalty of 36 months in prison if convicted.

Michael Easley, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement. IRS Criminal Investigation is investigating the case and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Lisa K. Labresh and Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam F. Hulbig are prosecuting the case.

Related court documents and information are located 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-MJ-1121-BM.

A criminal complaint is merely an accusation. The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.

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NEW BERN, N.C. – A Wilmington man who photographed his sexual abuse of a four-year old child was sentenced today to 480 months in prison for production of child pornography. The Court also ordered him to pay more than $285,000 in restitution.  Luke Michael Churchill, 48, pled guilty to one count of production of child pornography in connection with conduct that took place over the course of several months in 2019.

Michael Easley, the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, commented: “Mr. Churchill is a serial predator, and his sentence is well-deserved. He positioned himself as a caregiver, but instead exploited and victimized a child. My office will not tolerate individuals like Mr. Churchill who prey upon the most vulnerable and innocent members of our community. We and our law enforcement partners will investigate and aggressively prosecute these predators and protect our children.”

According to court documents, Churchill previously faced unrelated federal charges when he was convicted in 2007 of possession of child pornography and sentenced to 95 months in prison. It was due to this prior conviction for a child exploitation offense that he was subject to enhanced statutory penalties in the current case. After being released from prison in 2013, Churchill began a 15-year term of supervised release that included a number of conditions, including having to register as a sex offender and submit to regular polygraphs. Churchill initially complied with the conditions of his supervised release and eventually succeeded in obtaining less restrictive conditions. Churchill was then able to manipulate his way into a position as a part-time caregiver for the victim, who was only four years old at the time. Churchill took advantage of his position and access, sexually abusing the child, and photographically recording the abuse on his phone at least seven different times over the course of three months in 2019. In June 2019, the child reported Churchill’s conduct and authorities were contacted.

Investigators immediately took steps to ensure the safety of the child and began investigating the allegations. Churchill was interviewed the same day the allegations were made and denied sexually abusing the minor victim and told investigators about how he had not failed any of his regular polygraph tests but refused to submit to another polygraph at that time. The very next day, Churchill transferred the child sexual abuse images he had created from his cellphone to a work laptop in an effort to thwart investigators. Despite Churchill’s efforts to conceal the abuse, investigators were able to obtain the work laptop and a forensic review recovered almost 150 images depicting Churchill engaged in sexual activity with the child. The forensic review was further able to establish that the images were created on seven separate dates—the same days that Churchill served as the child’s caregiver and had access to the minor.

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 North Carolina 6th Judicial District Attorney’s Office pursued state charges against Churchill, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the New Hanover County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Bryan Stephany prosecuted the case.

This case is part of the Project Safe Childhood initiative, a national program aimed at ensuring that criminals exploiting children are effectively prosecuted by making full use of all available law enforcement resources at every level. For more information about this important national initiative, go to www.projectsafechildhood.gov.

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-00072-FL

NEW BERN, N.C. – Earl Lamont Vaughan, 45, of Murfreesboro, was sentenced yesterday to 70 months in prison for possessing fentanyl with intent to distribute and for being a felon in possession of a firearm.  Vaughan pled guilty to the charges on March 9, 2022. 

According to court records and statements made during hearings, on April 2, 2019, at around 2:00 p.m., officers were canvassing the area of Benthall Bridge Road in Murfreesboro, North Carolina, looking for a residence where they had heard reports of Vaughan making heroin sales.  While driving, they saw Vaughan drive past in the opposite direction, and they were aware that his license had been revoked.  Officers turned around and watched Vaughan pull into a driveway and enter a house.  They knocked on the door to the house, and Vaughan took several minutes to respond. 

After explaining they had seen him driving without a license, officers asked Vaughan to speak with them about drug sales.  He denied drug sales and told officers that the home belonged to his aunt.  His aunt stated that she knew nothing about any drug sales and consented to a search. 

Searching the home, officers found a bedroom containing clothes and other belongings of Vaughan’s, as well as a digital scale with a brown powder residue.  Officers secured the residence and obtained a search warrant.  Resuming the search an hour later, they found a loaded .25 caliber Astra handgun in a white clothesbasket in Vaughan’s room.  From another clothesbasket, they seized a blender with powder residue and a bag of white powder.  In the same basket, they found 36 grams of fentanyl in a blue water bottle.  Vaughan consented to be interviewed and admitted to possessing the fentanyl, which he had believed to be heroin, and mixing it in the blender with the white powder.

Vaughan’s prior convictions include three state drug felonies, as well as a conviction for assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill and inflicting serious injury.

Michael F. 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 Hertford County Sheriff’s Department, Bertie County Sheriff’s Department, and Murfreesboro Police Department conducted the investigation.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Jake D. Pugh 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. 2:20-cr-0010-FL.

WILMINGTON, N.C. – A Goldsboro, North Carolina woman was sentenced to 80 months in prison for Conspiracy to Distribute a quantity of cocaine base (crack).

According to court documents and information presented at the sentencing hearing, Victoria Christine Taylor, 35, was indicted on August 3, 2021, on the following charges:

• Count One (Conspiracy to Distribute and Possess With Intent to Distribute a quantity of Cocaine Base (crack)), in violation of Title 21, United States Code Section 846; and
• Counts Nine and Ten (Distribution of a Quantity of Cocaine Base (crack)), in violation of Title 21, United States Code Section 841(a)(1)). 

On March 8, 2022, Taylor entered a plea of guilty to the first charge.

In 2019, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) in Wilmington, North Carolina received information that Taylor was part of a large-scale drug trafficking organization. The organization operated in Goldsboro, NC, and it distributed significant quantities of crystal methamphetamine, cocaine hydrochloride, and cocaine base (crack).  The organization also maintained several “trap houses” or “stash houses” in Goldsboro and employed runners, often times drug users, to hand deliver drugs.

Based upon the investigation, law enforcement learned that Taylor was the girlfriend of the leader of the organization and personally managed a number of individuals distributing crack cocaine from her stash house.  Over the course of the conspiracy, Taylor was responsible for assisting in the distribution of at least 131 grams of crack.

Five total defendants have been charged and convicted in this investigation:

• Johnathan Aquavius Heath, a/k/a “Booty” (5:21-CR-314-M-1): pled guilty on June 7, 2022, to Conspiracy to Distribute and Possess With Intent to Distribute Fifty (50) Grams or More of Methamphetamine, Five (5) Kilograms or More of Cocaine, and Two Hundred Eighty (280) Grams or More of Cocaine Base (Crack), in violation of Title 21, United States Code Section 846; and Distribution of Fifty Grams or more of Methamphetamine, in violation of Title 21, United States Code Section 841(a)(1).
• Aratika Omhaya Anderson, a/k/a “Tika” (5:21-CR-314-M-2): pled guilty on October 19, 2021, to Conspiracy to Distribute and Possess With Intent to Distribute Fifty (50) Grams or More of Methamphetamine, in violation of Title 21, United States Code Section 846; and Distribution of Five Grams or more of Methamphetamine, Aiding and Abetting, in violation of Title 21, United States Code Section 841(a)(1) and Title 18, United States Code section 2.
• Richard Ronald Harris, III (5:21-CR-314-M-5): pled guilty on October 6, 2021, to Conspiracy to Distribute and Possess With Intent to Distribute Fifty (50) Grams or More of Methamphetamine, in violation of Title 21, United States Code Section 846; and Distribution of Five Grams or more of Methamphetamine, Aiding and Abetting, in violation of Title 21, United States Code Section 841(a)(1) and Title 18, United States Code section 2.
• Lelia Inez Harris (5:21-CR-314-M-5): pled guilty on November 16, 2021, to Conspiracy to Distribute and Possess With Intent to Distribute Five (5) Grams or More of Methamphetamine), in violation of Title 21, United States Code Section 846; and Distribution of Five Grams or more of Methamphetamine, Aiding and Abetting, in violation of Title 21, United States Code Section 841(a)(1) and Title 18, United States Code section 2.

 

Michael Easley, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, made the announcement. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) in Wilmington, North Carolina and the Goldsboro Police Department, investigated the case and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer C. Nucci 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 number 5:21-CR-00314-M-3.

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RALEIGH, N.C. – A Fayetteville woman was arrested today on charges of Embezzlement, Bank Fraud, and Aggravated Identity Theft. 

The Indictment alleges that Gay Cameron Tucker, 63, of Fayetteville, embezzled more than $500,000 from the Town of Spring Lake during her tenure as finance director and accounting technician for the Town.  The Indictment further alleges that Tucker carried out the embezzlement through fraudulent checks containing forged signatures of the mayor and town manager. 

United States Attorney Michael Easley stated, “City government officials are entrusted to spend taxpayer funds on public needs – not their own.  Our prosecutors and law enforcement partners are committed to vigorously investigating all allegations of public corruption.”

Tucker is charged with one count of Embezzlement from a Local Government Receiving Federal Funds, four counts of Bank Fraud, and two counts of Aggravated Identity Theft.  The maximum punishment for Embezzlement is 10 years in prison.  The maximum punishment for Bank Fraud is 30 years in prison.  The maximum punishment for Aggravated Identity Theft is not less than, nor more than 2 years in prison consecutive to any other sentence imposed.  

Michael Easley, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement. The Federal Bureau of Investigation is investigating the case and Assistant U.S. Attorney William M. Gilmore is prosecuting the case.

Related court documents and information are located 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-00118.

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

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RALEIGH, N.C. – A federal inmate pled guilty on Thursday to attempting to escape from the Federal Correctional Institution in Butner, North Carolina (“FCI Butner”). 

According to court documents, Charles Asher, 62, an inmate at FCI Butner at the time of the offense, was found hiding in the bushes on the compound at approximately 9:00 p.m. on September 14, 2020, near the exit door of the institution.  At the time he was discovered, Asher was required per FCI Butner orders and policy to be in his assigned housing unit. Asher was found with multiple unauthorized items, including: a homemade rope approximately 14 feet in length, grey gloves, a blue mattress cover, and a homemade cardboard replica handgun wrapped with black electrical tape.

Asher pled guilt to the sole count of attempting to escape prison pursuant to 18 U.S.C. § 751(a) and faces a maximum penalty of up to five additional years ears in prison when sentenced in the September 2022 term of court.

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

Related court documents and information are located 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-00120-BO.

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WILMINGTON, N.C. – Jamey Owens, 51, of Henderson, was sentenced today to 72 months in prison for possessing firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime and for being a felon in possession of a firearm.  Patterson pled guilty to the charges on October 21, 2021. 

According to court records and statements made during hearings, on January 13, 2019, Henderson Police Department, through a confidential informant, conducted a controlled buy of cocaine from Owens at his residence on State Street in Henderson.  Based on the controlled buy, officers obtained a search warrant for the residence, which they executed on January 15, 2019. 

Mr. Owens was present with his girlfriend.  Near a couch where Owens had been sleeping, officers found two handguns.  In his bedroom, they found a third pistol, and in a second bedroom they recovered a shotgun.  Officers found drugs stashed throughout the house, including cocaine, heroin, suspected ecstasy tablets, and marijuana.  They also found four digital scales; ink stamps labeled with “BLACK CEASAR” and green glassine bags, both commonly used to package heroin; two glass Pyrex dishes with a white powdery substance; and over $3000 in cash.   

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 Henderson Police Department and North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation (NC SBI) conducted the investigation.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Jake D. Pugh 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-0026-M.

RALEIGH, N.C. – A Henderson  man was sentenced today to 180 months in prison for possession with intent to distribute heroin and marijuana, and possession of a firearm during a drug trafficking crime.  On March 16, 2022, Joseph Jones, Jr., also known as “Woo,” pled guilty to the charges.

According to court documents and other information presented in court, in May 2020, Jones, 24, was identified as a heroin dealer in Henderson.  The Henderson Police Department (HPD) utilized a confidential informant to make controlled purchases of heroin from Jones.  On August 26, 2020, HPD responded to a call for service regarding a heroin overdose victim, who was stabilized with medical assistance.  The victim reportedly purchased the heroin from Jones.  The same day, HPD conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle being driven by Jones and found him to be in possession of heroin.  A search warrant was executed at his residence where more than 1000 doses of heroin and more than 11 grams of marijuana were found, along with two loaded firearms including a Glock 21 .45 caliber pistol and a Diamondback AM2 9mm pistol. Some of the heroin was bound into “bricks” comprising 50 dosage units and carried stamps such as “Devil’s Reject,” Maestro,” “Shell,” “Uranas,” “Takeback,” and “Natural Flavor.”

Jones has a lengthy criminal history, including possession with intent manufacture, sell, or deliver a Schedule I controlled substance, two counts of assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill, and conspiracy to sell or deliver heroin. 

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) and the Henderson 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. 5:21-CR-00307-BO.

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RALEIGH, N.C. – A Pamlico County man was sentenced to 151 months in prison for drug conspiracy and distribution offenses.  On December 1, 2021, Lionel Dangelo Hatch Jr., pled guilty to the charges.

According to court documents and other information presented in court, Hatch, 37, was involved in a drug conspiracy spanning from 2005 to 2019. He pled guilty to involvement in a conspiracy that distributed and possessed with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine, 28 grams or more of cocaine base (crack), and a quantity of marijuana. Hatch also personally distributed quantities of cocaine or cocaine base (crack) on at least ten occasions in the Pamlico County area.

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 State Bureau of Investigation, Pamlico County Sheriff’s Office, Craven County Sheriff’s Office, Homeland Security Investigations, and Drug Enforcement Administration investigated the case, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Lucy Brown 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-44.

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RALEIGH, N.C. – A Lumberton, North Carolina man was sentenced today to 78 months in prison for possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. Following his release, he will face three years of supervised release.

According to court documents and information presented at the sentencing hearing, Edward Shaquille Alford, 29, was named in an Indictment filed on July 28, 2021, charging him with two counts of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. On March 9, 2022, Alford entered a plea of guilty to one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.

On February 27, 2021, investigators with the Lumberton Police Department and the Robeson County Sheriff’s Office executed a search warrant at a residence in Lumberton. Investigators located a loaded Glock 21 .45 caliber firearm with an extended magazine in the room where Alford was staying.

Alford made bond on state charges but was arrested again on a firearm charge on May 8, 2021, when Lumberton Police Department investigators attempted to conduct a traffic stop on a vehicle driven by Alford. Alford fled from the traffic stop and was apprehended nearby. A Springfield AR-15 was recovered from the driver’s side door.

Alford previously sustained multiple state felony convictions for robbery with a dangerous weapon, as well as a prior conviction for possessing a firearm as a convicted felon.

Michael Easley, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, made the announcement. The Lumberton Police Department, the Robeson County Sheriff’s Office, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives investigated the cases 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 number 7:21-CR-00096-D-001.

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RALEIGH, N.C. – A Jacksonville woman was sentenced to 180 months in prison for trafficking methamphetamine, heroin, fentanyl, cocaine, cocaine base (crack), and marijuana, and possessing a firearm in furtherance of such drug trafficking crime.  On December 8, 2021, Ramona Lopez pled guilty to the charges.

According to court documents and other information presented in court, the Jacksonville Police Department received complaints from management of a local hotel regarding Lopez’s selling of narcotics from a room at the hotel.  After law enforcement surveillance revealed that Lopez was using the hotel as the base of operation for her drug trafficking organization, a search warrant was executed on the hotel room and law enforcement recovered 122 grams of methamphetamine, 107 grams of heroin, a quantity of fentanyl, 73 doses of Ecstasy, 7 grams of cocaine, written instructions for cooking methamphetamine, $6,636,and a loaded Taurus 9 millimeter handgun, later determined to have been stolen from Virginia.

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 Jacksonville Police Department, Onslow County Sheriff’s Office, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated the case and Assistant U.S. Attorney Dennis M. Duffy 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-00038-D.

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RALEIGH, N.C. – A Wilmington man was sentenced today to 180 months in prison for conspiracy to distribute over 500 grams of methamphetamine, over 40 grams of fentanyl, and over 100 grams of heroin, all while using firearms to protect his drug dealing.  On November 16, 2021, Edward Neal Huffman plead guilty to the charges.

Edward Huffman, 39, sold methamphetamine and heroin to a confidential source on five separate occasions in 2020.  For each buy, multiple firearms were present and visible while the drug deal occurred.  Ultimately, law enforcement executed a search warrant for a Wilmington hotel room that Huffman was staying in and seized 146 grams of methamphetamine, 80 grams of fentanyl, materials for distributing drugs, and a loaded handgun that was stolen.  A subsequent search of Huffman’s residence led to the seizure of additional drugs and 8 more firearms.

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 Drug Enforcement Administration and New Hanover County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case and Assistant U.S. Attorney Tyler Lemons 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-00099-BO.

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RALEIGH, N.C. – A New Bern man was sentenced today to 144 months in prison for committing an armed robbery of the Five Points Gas Station in New Bern, North Carolina. On February 16, 2022, Quamaine Donell Smith, 30, pled guilty to Interference with Commerce by Robbery and Brandishing a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence.

According to court documents and other information presented in court, on May 17, 2021, officers with the New Bern Police Department responded to an armed robbery call at the Five Points Gas Station in New Bern, North Carolina. Officers reviewed video surveillance footage from inside the store, which showed Smith and his co-defendant, Francesco Greco Jr., committing the armed robbery. Smith entered the store armed with a handgun, and Greco entered armed with a tire iron. Video showed Smith round the corner and strike the store clerk in the head with his gun. Smith and Greco then emptied the cash register and fled the store in a getaway vehicle. In total, the pair stole roughly $3,000 in cash from the store. New Bern Police located and arrested both Greco and Smith later that night and recovered the firearm used during the robbery.

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 New Bern Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated the case and Assistant U.S. Attorney Aakash Singh  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. 4:21-CR-58-BO.

RALEIGH, N.C. – A Fayetteville man was sentenced today to 280 months in prison for leading a network of heroin, fentanyl, and cocaine distributors.  Garry Jermaine Alford, 49, previously pled guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute one kilogram or more of heroin, two-hundred eighty grams or more of cocaine base, and forty grams or more of fentanyl, and one count of possession with intent to distribute one hundred grams or more of heroin and forty grams or more of fentanyl.

According to court documents and other information presented in court, Alford employed at least half a dozen individuals to operate multiple houses used to store and sell drugs in the Deep Creek area of Fayetteville.  Due to the heavy amounts of vehicle and foot traffic at these residences, investigators launched an investigation in early 2019. Search warrants executed at a number of Alford’s stash houses on September 10, 2020 resulted in the seizure of fentanyl, heroin, drug packaging materials, a 12 gauge shotgun, and over $68,000. 

Co-conspirators Xavier Kaylon Whitted and Charles Dexter Underwood have previously been sentenced to terms of imprisonment of 84 months and 72 months respectively.  Other members of the organization were prosecuted by the Cumberland County District Attorney’s Office. 

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 Cumberland County Sheriff’s Office, North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation, and the Drug Enforcement Administration 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-34-BO-1.

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RALEIGH, N.C. – A Greensboro, North Carolina woman, Sharita Mathis Richardson, was sentenced today to 22 months in prison and three years of supervised release for conspiracy to commit health care fraud.  On March 25, 2021, Richardson pleaded guilty to the charge.  As part of sentencing, Richardson was also ordered to pay $2,005,531 in criminal restitution to the North Carolina Fund for Medical Assistance. 

“This defendant conspired with others to steal millions in federal funding intended to provide health care to those in need,” said U.S. Attorney Michael Easley. “Our office will continue to bring those who abuse and misuse taxpayer funds to justice.”

According to court documents and other information presented in court, between approximately 2012 and 2016, Richardson conspired with Antonio Fozard and others to defraud the North Carolina Medicaid system through the submission of over $4 million in false and fraudulent claims for the reimbursement of behavioral health services.  Medicaid is a federally funded health care benefit program that helps pay for medical-related services for low-income individuals and their families.  In North Carolina, Medicaid is administered by the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services, Division of Health Benefits.

Fozard owned and operated a number of behavioral health companies that purported to provide services to Medicaid beneficiaries in the Middle and Eastern Districts of North Carolina.  These companies included Group Service, Inc., and Zoofari Kids, LLC.  Each of these entities engaged in a systematic effort to steal from Medicaid by billing for services that were never rendered. 

Group Service maintained offices at various times in Raleigh, Dunn, Durham, and Sanford.  Among other things, Group Service employed Reginald Van Reese, Jr., and Ruben Samuel Matos to canvas low-income neighborhoods to identify eligible Medicaid recipients and collect their personal identifying information (PII), including their Medicaid Identification numbers.  The harvested PII was then incorporated into false and fraudulent claims that Group Service submitted to Medicaid for reimbursement.  Note writers, including Humberto Mercado, were also enlisted to fabricate supporting documentation in the event of a Medicaid audit.  Richardson held herself out as Group Service’s chief operating officer and assisted Fozard in the day-to-day operations of the criminal enterprise. 

During much of the same time period, Fozard and Richardson were also managing members of Zoofari Kids, which was similarly defrauding the North Carolina Medicaid system.  Zoofari Kids operated in Durham and Garner.  The Durham location shared the same address as Group Service and purported to provide mental health treatment to Medicaid recipients.  The Garner location was strictly a drop-in daycare facility.  The daycare, however, was effectively funded by Medicaid fraud proceeds paid out to Zoofari’s mental health business.

Fozard, Reese, Matos, and Mercado each pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit health care fraud in separate related cases.  Reese, Matos, and Mercado were previously sentenced to terms of imprisonment and ordered to pay restitution to the North Carolina Fund for Medical Assistance.  Fozard is scheduled to be sentenced during the term of court that begins on July 20, 2022.

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 Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Medicaid Investigations Division of the North Carolina Department of Justice 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. 5:20-CR-506-FL.

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RALEIGH, N.C. – A Goldsboro, North Carolina man was sentenced today to 180 months in prison for Conspiracy to Distribute and Distribution of 50 grams or more of Methamphetamine.

According to court documents and information presented at the sentencing hearing, Robert Lee Best, 61, was named in an Indictment filed on March 12, 2020 charging him with Conspiracy to Distribute and Possess With Intent to Distribute 50 Grams or More of Methamphetamine from 2018 to March 12, 2020, (Count One) and Distribution of 50 Grams or More of Methamphetamine and Aiding and Abetting (Count Two).  On November 10, 2020, Best entered a plea of guilty to Count Two.

In May of 2018, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Wayne County Sheriff’s Office, Goldsboro and the Winston-Salem Police Departments, received information that Best was part of a large-scale drug trafficking organization operating in Goldsboro, which distributed large quantities of crystal methamphetamine and maintained several “trap houses” or “stash houses” in Goldsboro and employed runners, often times drug users, to hand deliver drugs.

Based upon the investigation law enforcement learned that Best had known the leaders of this organization for 20 years and worked in “the hole,” or “trap house” located on Slaughter Street where he distributed drugs for them.  Best worked 12-hour shifts in the trap house selling narcotics for the organization. During these 12-hour shifts, two people worked each shift, an inside man and an outside man. The inside man answered the phone and prepared the drug orders. The outside man-made deliveries to the customers and served as a “lookout.”  At the end of each shift, Best was responsible for delivering proceeds from the drug sales to a drop location.

Over the course of the conspiracy, Best was responsible for assisting in the distribution of 14,560 grams of cocaine and 1,507.7 grams of methamphetamine. 

Michael Easley, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, made the announcement.   The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Wayne County Sheriff’s Office, Goldsboro Police Department, and the Winston-Salem Police Department, investigated the case and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer C. Nucci 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 number 5:21-CR-00198-M-1.

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RALEIGH, N.C. – Tiffany Dawn Russell was sentenced to 63 months today for her role in an extensive multi-year fraud conspiracy and was sentenced to 36 months for filing a false tax return.  These sentences will be served concurrently. Earlier this year, Russell pled guilty to charges relating to her efforts to obtain more than $2.5 million from at least 12 financial institutions and the United States Small Business Administration.  In addition to her prison sentences, Russell was ordered to forfeit more than $2 million in fraud proceeds.

“This defendant spent years defrauding banks and the federal government, and now she’ll be spending years behind bars,” said U.S. Attorney Michael Easley. “As Judge Dever noted at sentencing, this was more than a one-off mistake, it was a multitude of bad decisions by an attorney who knew better. This fraud scheme is even more egregious because the defendant falsely obtained more than $1 million in COVID-relief funds intended to help legitimate, hard-working business owners weather the pandemic. Money intended to keep businesses afloat was instead used to purchase beach homes and support the defendant’s personal interests. I commend the many law enforcement partners on our EDNC Covid Fraud Task Force who helped to ensure that attorney Tiffany Russell faced justice.” 

Russell was originally indicted in November 2020 for conspiracy to commit bank fraud, bank fraud, access device fraud, and misuse of a social security number. According to the Indictment, Russell and her co-conspirators applied for loans and credit cards with social security numbers that were not issued to them by the Social Security Administration.  By doing so, they created new credit profiles or synthetic identities for themselves to open financial accounts and make purchases from retailers without any intention of paying for the items and services obtained.  Russell was charged with using a synthetic identity to purchase a BMW and to obtain a credit card which she used to pay for her 2016 butt augmentation surgery. 

In addition to using synthetic identities, Russell also embarked on a scheme of credit washing to remove legitimate debt accounts from her credit history by falsely claiming she was the victim of identity theft and had not opened those accounts.  Once the credit reporting agencies removed those accounts, her credit score improved, enabling her to obtain credit. 

Russell also provided fabricated documents when applying for mortgages to purchase three properties, including an oceanfront residence in Nags Head, North Carolina.  Russell gave doctored bank statements and inflated pay stubs to make it appear she had substantial liquid assets and the ability to pay the loans. 

Finally, between March 30, 2020 and June 29, 2020, Russell and others fraudulently obtained more than $1 million in loans under the CARES Act, which was enacted by Congress to provide emergency financial assistance to millions of Americans suffering from the COVID-19 pandemic.  The ten loan applications, including two for her law firm, contained false representations relating to the number of employees, monthly payroll, revenue, and expenses. 

Russell used these illegally-obtained proceeds to make the down payment on her Nags Head property and purchase five other properties in North Carolina, Maryland and Alabama.  Russell also used these ill-gotten gains to pay outstanding personal debt, unrelated to any business entity.  

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 Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Internal Revenue Service investigated the case and Assistant U.S. Attorney Susan B. Menzer was the prosecutor.

On May 17, 2021, the United States Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, among other methods, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. The Eastern District of North Carolina’s COVID Task Force is a part of this effort to coordinate fraud-related investigations and prosecutions in Eastern North Carolina. For more information on the Department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus.

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-00505-D-3.

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RALEIGH, N.C. – A Clayton man was sentenced today by Judge James C. Dever III to a total of 97 months for Receipt of Child Pornography.  On September 30, 2021, John Camarda, 68, pled guilty to the charge.

According to court documents and other information presented in court, in early 2020, agents with Homeland Security Investigations became aware that a certain IP address within the Eastern District of North Carolina had visited two dark web websites dedicated to the distribution and trading of child pornography related to babies and toddlers.  The officer discovered the IP addresses belonged to John Camarda who lived in Clayton, North Carolina. 

On July 16, 2020, agents executed a search warrant at Camarda’s home.  Camarda confessed to viewing child pornography on the dark web and said he had been engaged in such behavior since 2008.  Camarda said he had looked at thousands of images and videos over the years but would not save them to his computer.  He admitted to maintaining a document that contained a list of websites that contained child pornography that he liked.

Digital devices were seized from the residence and were forensically analyzed.  There was substantial evidence of Camarda accessing websites dedicated to child pornography as well as specific images and videos of child pornography.  In addition, Camarda had multiple videos on his computer depicting children engaging in sexual activity.  Some of these videos depicted toddlers engaged in sexual activity and some depicted children engaged in sadistic and masochistic conduct.  Agents found the document to which Camarda referred that was a list of over 30 pages of websites containing child pornography. 

Michael Easley, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after the sentencing by U.S. District Judge James C. Dever III.  Homeland Security Investigations investigated the case with the assistance of the State Bureau of Investigation, Cary Police Department, Johnston County Sheriff’s Office and the United States Marshal’s Service.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Charity Wilson  prosecuted the case.

This case was part of the Project Safe Childhood initiative, a national program aimed at ensuring that criminals exploiting children are effectively prosecuted by making full use of all available law enforcement resources at every level.  For more information about this important national project, Project Safe Childhood, go to www.projectsafechildhood.gov.

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-00217-D.

RALEIGH, N.C. – A Zebulon man who fired at a Wendell Police Department (WPD) officer during a high-speed chase was sentenced today to 120 months in prison for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Cedrick Tyler Armstrong, 37, was previously convicted on November 18, 2021, following a two-day jury trial before United States District Judge James C. Dever, III.

Michael Easley, Jr., the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, commented: “Today, Mr. Armstrong received a well-deserved sentence.  His conduct endangered innocent members of our community and directly threatened the lives of those brave law enforcement officers who have sworn to protect us.  My office will not tolerate those who threaten the safety and security of our district.”

According to court documents, on October 12, 2018, an Investigator with the Wendell Police Department conducted a traffic stop of a vehicle where Armstrong was the front seat passenger. After a baggie from the glove box field-tested positive for cocaine, police tried to remove the driver and Armstrong from the vehicle.  The Investigator was able to secure one handcuff to the driver’s left arm before a struggle ensued and the driver fled the stop in the vehicle, dragging the Investigator approximately 25 feet. The Investigator sustained injuries but was able to pursue the vehicle along with other Wendell Police Officers.  The driver led law enforcement on a high-speed chase through multiple counties reaching speeds in excess of 100 miles per hour. Several minutes into the chase, approximately nine shots were fired from the passenger side of the vehicle at a pursuing Wendell PD officer, and the chase was terminated shortly thereafter for public and officer safety. A search of the area where the shots were fired located a spent 9mm shell casing.

Armstrong and the driver avoided law enforcement for several hours but were found and arrested later that night at a residence on Beauty Avenue in Raleigh, NC. A search of the residence found a 9mm handgun with an extended magazine hidden in the reservoir of the toilet. Forensic examination of the gun and a shell casing recovered from the area where the shots were fired confirmed that the gun found at the residence on Beauty Avenue fired that casing. The handcuffs, a handcuff key, drugs, and the vehicle keys were also recovered from the residence on Beauty Avenue where the driver and Armstrong were apprehended. Additionally, Investigators executed a search warrant on the vehicle after it was recovered and found another 9mm round matching the same make and caliber of the ammunition found with the gun at Beauty Avenue and the shell casing recovered from the scene of the shooting. A review of Armstrong’s phone also recovered text messages in which he admitted to shooting at law enforcement. Armstrong also faces a number of pending state charges for the incident.

Michael 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 Wendell Police Department investigated the case with the assistance of the Wake County Sherriff’s Office, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (“ATF”), the Raleigh Police Department, and the Zebulon Police Department. Former Assistant U.S. Attorney Dave Fitzgerald and Assistant U.S. Attorney Bryan 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. 5:19-CR-00450-D.

WILMINGTON, N.C. – Jonathan Pak, 36, of Craven County, was sentenced to 216 months in prison for the distribution of approximately five kilograms of methamphetamine, two and a half kilograms of cocaine, more than 390 grams of heroin and 160 grams of fentanyl.  

According to court documents, evidence presented in court and other documents, from December 2019, up to and including January 2020, the United States Postal Service (USPS) seized two packages each containing one pound of methamphetamine, and one package containing half a kilogram of cocaine addressed to addresses associated with Pak.  Additionally, ATF agents discovered that Pak had received 34 packages from October 2018 until January 2020 to various addresses. 

On January 20, 2021, Craven County Sheriff’s Deputies and New Bern Police Detectives, working with ATF, made a controlled purchase from Pak of 16 grams of heroin in the Academy Sports parking lot in New Bern, North Carolina.  On January 26, 2021, Detectives made a traffic stop of Pak following a sale Pak made of a quantity of heroin in the Lowe’s Home Improvement parking lot in New Bern.  Law enforcement recovered more than 900 grams of methamphetamine, 160 grams of fentanyl and more than 100 grams of heroin.

This is part of operation “Fighting Jelly Fish” 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 Chief U.S. District Judge Richard E. Myers II. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, the Drug Enforcement Administration, Department of Homeland Security, United States Postal Service, the Craven and Onslow County Sheriffs’ Office and the New Bern and Kinston Police Departments investigated the case and Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy Severo  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. 4:21-cr-00033-M-1.

WILMINGTON, N.C. – A Fayetteville man was sentenced today to 42 months for receiving bribes in his role as a purchasing agent while employed at Ft. Bragg.  Calvin Alfonza Jordan pleaded guilty to receiving bribes, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 201, in February of this year. 

“As suggested by the presiding judge at sentencing, one of the things that makes our government, the United States of America, great and unique from others is its commitment to deal with each of its citizens fairly,” Michael Easley, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, said.  “The taking of bribes by employees of the United States is in direct contradiction to that foundational premise.  As this prosecution and resulting sentence show, employees of the government who abuse their positions by taking bribes will be prosecuted and face consequences to their crimes.”

According to court documents, Calvin Alfonza Jordan was a procurement agent assigned to the Operations and Maintenance Division, Directorate of Public Works (DPW), at Fort Bragg, NC.  To obtain services, a Ft. Bragg facilities user submits a request for a repair or service of a facility, such as a roof leak, damaged floor, or plumbing issue to the DPW.   The request creates a Demand Maintenance Order (DMO) that is forwarded to the appropriate commodity section.  The DMO is assigned to a DPW technician that specializes in a certain trade, such as roofing, flooring, plumbing, or carpentry. 

The DPW technician assesses the issue to determine if they can complete the repair or service themselves within the time allotted, or certifies that because of manpower, needed expertise, or particular equipment needs, a contractor should undertake the work.  If a contractor is to be used for the work, the technician submits a request for a contract to the work leader.  If the work is estimated to cost under $2,500, the approved contract is forwarded to a DPW procurement agent who hires a contractor to complete the work. The technician who requested the contract would inspect and certify the work upon completion.  Once the technician inspected and certified the contractor’s work, the procurement agent would pay the contractor using a government purchase card. 

From 2011 into 2019, Jordan used his position as a procurement agent to receive bribes of approximately $200 per DMO from various vendors contracting with DPW, Ft. Bragg, North Carolina, in return for increasing the number of federal contracts given the vendor.  It is estimated Jordan received $773,600 in illegal bribes.

"While Calvin Jordan was supposed to be repairing facilities to provide a safe working and living environment for our soldiers and their families, he was instead busy lining his own pockets and compromising the integrity of the contracting process,” said Special Agent in Charge Christopher Dillard, Department of Defense Office of Inspector General, Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS), Mid-Atlantic Field Office. "Today’s sentencing should send a stark reminder that DCIS and our law enforcement partners remain in pursuit of those who jeopardize the readiness of our military for their own gain."

"The sentence handed down today reflects the unrelenting approach and tenacity we employ daily in pursuing individuals who dare to attempt to defraud the federal government and the U.S. Army", said Special Agent in Charge L. Scott Moreland, of the U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Division's Major Procurement Fraud Field Office. "When it comes to government contracting and purchasing, the superbly skilled and highly-trained special agents in our fraud unit use their finely honed investigation skills to combat and uncover fraud, deception, bribery and other criminal acts."

Michael Easley, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after the sentencing by Chief United States Judge Richard E. Myers II. Defense Criminal Investigative Service and the U.S. Army Criminal Investigative Division, Major Procurement Fraud Unit, investigated 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-328-FL.

NEW BERN, N.C. – Edquan Battle, 35, of Goldsboro, was sentenced to 300 months in prison for his role in a multi-county meth operation.

“This conviction is a part of our coordinated efforts to dismantle and disrupt the criminal networks that are bringing illegal drugs into our communities,” said Michael Easley, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina.

Battle was convicted of the following charges:

1. Conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and distribute 500 grams or more of a substance containing Methamphetamine; and
2. Distribution of 50 grams or more of a substance containing Methamphetamine. 

According to court documents, evidence presented in court and other documents, on June 27, 2019, Kinston Police and Lenoir County Sheriff’s Office detectives working with Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF) Task Force Officers were conducting surveillance on Christopher Walker and observed him meet with Ernie James and Robert Lowery.  They were observed driving to a residence associated with Battle on Dale Street in Goldsboro. Walker purchased 2 ounces of methamphetamine for the trio from Battle. Law enforcement stopped the individuals and recovered the methamphetamine.

On July 1, 2019, two ATF confidential informants (CIs) purchased approximately 85 grams of methamphetamine from Battle at the residence on Dale Street.  Following this controlled purchase and unbeknownst to ATF, the CIs returned to meet Battle at Dale Street.  Battle sold them a quantity of heroin.  One of them overdosed and had to be revived by emergency medical personal with Narcan.

On July 3, 2019, Duplin County Sheriff’s Detectives arrested Victoria Humphrey in the parking lot of the Family Dollar in Albertson.  Humphries had 140 grams of methamphetamine that she had previous purchased from Battle.  Humphrey had a handgun in a holster on her hip and a small child was also in the car.  Later that day, Duplin County Detectives made a controlled purchase of approximately 110 grams of methamphetamine from Battle in Albertson.  Battle was ultimately arrested by law enforcement on federal charges.  The investigation revealed that Battle was involved in the distribution of more than 25 kilogram of methamphetamine and 7 ounces of heroin from 2018 until the time of his arrest in July 2019.

This prosecution is part of operation “Fighting Jelly Fish” 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.

The following people have previously been sentenced in federal court for their role in this drug trafficking organization:

• Christopher Walker pled guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute 500 grams or more of a substance containing methamphetamine and possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine and received a prison sentence of 112 months. 
• Ernie James pled guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute 50 grams or more of a substance containing methamphetamine and possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine and received a prison sentence of 123 months.
• Robert Lowery pled guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute 50 grams or more of a substance containing methamphetamine and possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine and received a prison sentence of 70 months. 
• Victoria Humphrey pled guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute 50 grams or more of a substance containing methamphetamine, possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime and received a prison sentence of 108 months.
   

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, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Craven, Duplin, Lenoir and Onslow County Sheriff’s Offices and the Jacksonville and Kinston Police Departments investigated the case and Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy Severo  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. 7:19-cr-00139-FL.

RALEIGH, N.C. – United States Attorney Michael Easley today formally announced the expansion of the office’s continued efforts to enforce federal civil rights laws across Eastern North Carolina. These efforts will include an emphasis on community engagement and law enforcement training.

“Our office is committed to ensuring that all people are treated equally and fairly under the law,” said Easley. “Our Civil Rights Team will make the investigation of potential civil and criminal civil rights violations a top priority and bring appropriate action when warranted. We want the communities we serve to be free from discrimination.”

As part of the Civil Rights Initiative, the U.S. Attorney has designated a Civil Rights Team including Civil Rights Coordinators in both the Civil and Criminal Divisions as well as a designated Human Trafficking Coordinator.  The Civil Division Coordinator coordinates enforcement actions related to the protection of voter rights; disability rights or access; and discrimination in housing, healthcare, lending, employment, and education. The Criminal Division Coordinator coordinates criminal enforcement actions such as the investigation and prosecution of hate crimes and color of law violations. The Human Trafficking Coordinator oversees the investigation and prosecution of trafficking crimes such as forced labor, sex trafficking of minors, and sex trafficking by force, fraud, and coercion. The coordinators work closely with the Office’s Chief Counsel for Litigation, who takes on special litigative projects in the area of civil rights. In addition to these dedicated prosecutors, the office will continue working with state and local law enforcement agencies and community groups to raise awareness of key civil rights issues. The Team will coordinate closely with the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, Federal Bureau of Investigation, and other federal agencies as needed.

As a part of its ongoing community outreach, the office has launched a new website with information about civil rights laws and details on how to submit civil rights complaints. In addition, the office is co-hosting a program on May 19 with the Apex Police Department, the Garden of Hope, and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) in Apex to discuss the impact of human trafficking on the Asian Pacific Islander community. Beginning in June, the office is also co-hosting a series of monthly training sessions with the North Carolina Justice Academy to enhance law enforcement’s tools to avoid and manage community conflict, including training on de-escalation, use of force, community engagement, and civil rights laws. Other trainings and educational forums will be scheduled throughout the year.

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RALEIGH, N.C. – On May 10, 2022, Reshod Jamar Everett, 36, of Cumberland County, was found guilty by a federal jury on six felony drug and firearm offenses. The charges arose from Everett’s armed drug trafficking operation that he ran from his home, which he also operated as a daycare center.  Agents seized drugs, more than $65,000, and eight loaded firearms from the home, including loaded, high-powered rifles.

“Armed drug trafficking poses a significant danger to the community, particularly when loaded guns and drugs are stored at an in-home daycare,” said Michael Easley, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina.  “I am proud of our trial team and investigative partners with the Fayetteville Police Department, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Internal Revenue Service,” Easley said.  

Everett was convicted of the following charges:

• Conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 1,000 kilograms or more of marijuana, 5 kilograms or more of cocaine, and a quantity of tetrahydrocannabinol;
• Possession with intent to distribute a quantity of marijuana and a quantity of cocaine, and aiding and abetting;
• Possession with intent to distribute a quantity of delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and a quantity of tramadol;
• Possession with intent to distribute a quantity of marijuana, and aiding and abetting; and
• Two counts of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.

According to court documents and information presented at trial, Reshod Everett was charged by Superseding Indictment on August 18, 2021.

In 2018, investigators with the Fayetteville Police Department determined that Everett was distributing large amounts of controlled substances in the Fayetteville area, including from an apartment in Fayetteville.

On July 16, 2018, agents conducted a traffic stop of a Cadillac driven by co-defendant Alvin Milton Davis as it left the apartment complex. In the vehicle, agents found marijuana, cocaine, and a loaded handgun with an extended magazine.

The same day, agents obtained a search warrant for the apartment and seized more than 36 pounds of marijuana, more than 300 grams of cocaine, and a loaded CZ Scorpion firearm. The apartment was leased by Reshod Everett, with Alvin Davis listed as an authorized occupant.

Investigators then determined that Everett’s primary residence was on Ronald Reagan Drive in Fayetteville, and that he and his wife operated an in-home daycare in the residence.

On July 17, 2018, agents obtained a search warrant, and in the house, agents seized more than $65,000, eight firearms, ammunition, and THC edibles. The firearms included handguns and high-powered rifles, including a PS90 rifle and a loaded DPMS Arms rifle with the selector switch set to “fire.” A witness testified that the PS90 rifle was powerful enough to pierce body armor.

In a detached shed, agents seized almost 300 grams of concentrated THC wax, tramadol, and drug packaging materials.

Investigators then identified a storage unit used by Everett. A search warrant was issued for the storage unit, and on July 18, 2018, it was found to contain more than 65 pounds of marijuana.

Witness testimony established that Everett was responsible for more than 1,000 kilograms of marijuana and more than five kilograms of cocaine, as well as a quantity of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC).

Co-defendant Alvin Milton Davis, III, was previously convicted and sentenced to a term of imprisonment of 11 years.

Sentencing for Everett is scheduled to occur during the court’s August 22, 2022 term of court.

The Defendant faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 20 years’ imprisonment, and a maximum of life imprisonment.

Michael F. Easley, Jr., U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, made the announcement. The Fayetteville Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives investigated the case, and the Internal Revenue Service assisted at trial. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Scott Lemmon and 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 number 5:20-CR-333-D-1.

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RALEIGH, N.C. – In honor of National Police Week, United States Attorney Michael Easley will recognize the service and sacrifice of federal, state, local, law enforcement. This year, the week is observed Wednesday, May 11 through Tuesday, May 17, 2022.

“This week, we gather to pay tribute to the law enforcement officers who sacrificed their lives in service to our country,” said Attorney General Garland. “We remember the courage with which they worked and lived. And we recommit ourselves to the mission to which they dedicated their lives. On behalf of a grateful Justice Department and a grateful nation, I extend my sincerest thanks and gratitude to the entire law enforcement community.”

“In taking an oath to preserve and protect, law enforcement officers put their lives on the line daily to keep our communities safe,” said Easley. “We recognize and appreciate their sacrifice and commitment every day. This week, we take the opportunity, across the country, to honor those law enforcement officers who lost their lives in the line of duty. We also express our deepest respect and admiration for the families of these fallen heroes.”

In 1962, President Kennedy issued the first proclamation for Peace Officers Memorial Day and National Police Week to remember and honor law enforcement officers for their service and sacrifices.  Peace Officers Memorial Day, which every year falls on May 15, specifically honors law enforcement officers killed or disabled in the line of duty. Based on data submitted to and analyzed by the National Law Enforcement Officer Memorial Fund (NLEOMF), 472 law enforcement officers died nationwide in the line of duty in 2021.  Of that number, 319 succumbed to COVID-19.  Nine officers have died in the line of duty in the Eastern District of North Carolina.  

Additionally, according to 2021 statistics reported by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) through the Law Enforcement Officer Killed and Assaulted (LEOKA) Program, 73 law enforcement officers who died in the line of duty in 2021 were killed as a result of felonious acts, whereas 56 died in accidents.  Deaths resulting from felonious acts increased in 2021, rising more than 58 percent from the previous year.  In 2021, unprovoked attacks[1] were the cause of 24 deaths significantly outpacing all other line of duty deaths resulting from felony acts and reaching the highest annual total in over 30 years of reporting.  Additional LEOKA statistics can be found on FBI’s Crime Data Explorer website for the LEOKA program. 

The names of the 619 fallen officers added this year to the wall at the National Law Enforcement Officer Memorial will be read on Friday, May 13, 2022, during a Candlelight Vigil in Washington, D.C., starting at 8:00 PM EDT. Those who wish to view the vigil live online, can watch on the NLEOMF YouTube channel found at https://www.youtube.com/TheNLEOMF. The schedule of National Police Week events is available on NLEOMF’s website.

 

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[1] An unprovoked attack is defined as an attack on an officer not prompted by official contact at the time of the incident between the officer and the offender.  Source:  Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) through the Law Enforcement Officer Killed and Assaulted (LEOKA) Program.

ROCKY MOUNT, N.C. – U.S. Attorney Michael Easley today announced a new multi-agency initiative to combat violent crime in the Rocky Mount area that includes a task force of local, state, and federal law enforcement. The new Violent Crime Action Plan (VCAP) initiative was launched in collaboration with Rocky Mount Police Chief Robert Hassell earlier this week, in advance of the summer months when shootings typically increase.

“Rocky Mount is a place of great promise, brimming with growth and opportunity.  But that opportunity will not be fully realized until we unite as a community to stop the violence,” said Easley. “Since April 30, Rocky Mount has seen four homicides and three other shootings, including one earlier this week that wounded an innocent 9-year-old boy. Our state, local, and federal partners are committed to doing all we can, in conjunction with community stakeholders, to stop this wave of gun violence. First and foremost, that means getting illegal guns off the streets and bringing those responsible for the violence to swift justice – for the victims and for the community at large.”

Chief Hassell stated, ““We believe this Violent Crime Action Plan will protect our community at a time when our citizens are understandably concerned. We appreciate the support and assistance from our federal partners and Edgecombe County Sheriff Cleveland Atkinson and Nash County Sheriff Keith Stone. By working together, we can reduce violent crime and make sure that our community is safe.”

“The ATF stands with the Rocky Mount community in its push against gun violence.  We are bringing our resources and expertise for a systematic and coordinated effort to target the most violent offenders on the streets,” said Assistant Special Agent in Charge Anthony Spotswood of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

The Nash County Sheriff’s Office and Edgecombe County Sheriff’s Office have agreed to devote officers to the VCAP effort.  These resources will supplement the work of the Rocky Mount Police Department and other partners in the investigation and prosecution of gun violence in Rocky Mount.

Nash County Sheriff Keith Stone commented, “The Nash County Sheriff’s Office is working collaboratively with the Edgecombe County Sheriff’s Office, the U.S. Attorney’s Office,  the Rocky Mount Police Department and federal agencies to reduce the violence in Rocky Mount.  The Nash County Sheriff’s Office is dedicated to safer communities by enforcement of gang, gun and drug violations.”

“Edgecombe County is grateful for the assistance and partnership of the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the Nash County Sheriff’s Office, the Rocky Mount Police Department and other local municipal police departments, the District Attorney’s Office and state and federal partners,” stated Edgecombe County Sheriff Clee Atkinson.  “As law enforcement officers, we are here to make a positive difference in the lives of our citizens, and ensuring their safety is paramount.  We look forward to continuing proactive efforts to counteract criminal behavior and ensure safe communities.”

U.S. Attorney Easley stated, “The coordinated effort these agencies bring to this initiative will make Rocky Mount a safer place to live, work, and do business.” 

VCAP is a three-pronged approach drawing on close partnerships among federal, state, and local law enforcement, as well as the community, to combat violence. 

Focused and Strategic Enforcement: 

• Designating lead prosecutors from the U.S. Attorney’s Office and District Attorney’s Office to prioritize the review of all gun crime cases with local and federal law enforcement for accelerated action.   
• Sustained, proactive, and coordinated efforts to identify and prosecute the most significantly violent repeat offenders and dangerous criminal organizations in the Rocky Mount area.   
• Focusing on the sources of crime guns, including the prosecution of gun traffickers, straw purchasers, suppliers of guns to juveniles, and those using non-serialized “ghost guns” in crimes. 

Inter-Agency Coordination and Intelligence-Led Policing: 

• Analyzing crime data to identify trends, patterns, and “hot spots” to deploy resources where they are needed most. 
• Leveraging federal Task Force Officers to bring federal technology and resources to address local gun violence. 
• Increasing the use of Crime Gun Intelligence (CGI) through the ATF’s National Integrated Ballistic Information Network (NIBIN) to identify and prosecute the serial trigger-pullers driving gun violence in local communities.   

Community Engagement: 

• Raising awareness through youth education. EDNC is working with the Rocky Mount Police Department to introduce programs, such as “Educating Kids about Gangs and Guns,” into Nash and Edgecombe County Schools in hopes of engaging students, law enforcement, and educators in life-saving conversations.    
• Engaging with local offender re-entry programs, such as the Nash Edgecombe Wilson Re-entry Council, in their ongoing work to help returning citizens successfully reintegrate into society following incarceration through employment, transportation, and housing-related support. 
• Meaningful community engagement by law enforcement, hearing from the communities most affected by violence to better partner in stopping it through supporting prevention, intervention, and reentry services. 

 

The new task force ensures that Rocky Mount will have the full range of enforcement tools available to stop the violence. Participants will include representation from the Rocky Mount Police Department, Nash County Sheriff’s Office, Edgecombe County Sherriff’s Office, as well as the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF), Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA), Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), and the United States Marshal’s Service.  Prosecutors from the Seventh Judicial District Attorney’s Office and the U.S. Attorney’s Office are also engaged in the effort. 

This initiative is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), which is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. 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.

 

NEW BERN, N.C. – A Fayetteville man was sentenced yesterday to 10 months in prison, 5 years’ supervised release, and a $2,000 fine for sexual contact without consent while on an airplane flying into RDU airport.  Ryan Eugene Larned will also have to register as a sex offender.  On July 26, 2021, Larned pled guilty to the charge pursuant to a plea agreement.

“Safe air travel is essential to our economy and keeping families connected,” said Michael Easley. “This defendant assaulted a young woman traveling alone, and now he will be spending time behind bars and will be identified as a sex offender in the community. No passenger, flight crew, or flight attendant should have to fly in fear. My office will continue to prosecute crimes that jeopardize the safety of the flying public.”

According to court documents and other information presented in court, Larned, 38, flew on an American Airlines flight from Charlotte-Douglas International Airport to Raleigh-Durham International Airport where he was seated next to a 17-year-old girl who was flying alone.  The female, a high school junior, was in the window seat while Larned was in the middle seat.  Without engaging in conversation and without consent, the 6’2’’ 220 pound man proceeded to touch the groin area of the 5’1’’ 100 pound female.  He placed his jacket over them and reached his hands inside the pants of the female.  The victim immediately reported the assault. 

Michael F. Easley, Jr., U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Louise W. Flanagan. FBI Special Agent Craig Noyes investigated the case and Assistant U.S. Attorney Brad DeVoe 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-141.

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NEW BERN, N.C. – Michael Hall, 34, of Duplin County, was sentenced to 180 months in prison for charges related to drug trafficking and firearms.

“This conviction is a result of a collaborative effort with law enforcement at the local, state and federal level to get guns and drugs off the streets and make our communities safer,” said Michael Easley, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina. “We will continue these coordinated and targeted efforts to disrupt the criminal networks in Eastern North Carolina.”

Hall was convicted of the following charges:

1. Conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and distribute 500 grams or more of a substance containing Methamphetamine;
2. Distribution of 50 grams or more of a substance containing Methamphetamine;
3. Possession with intent to distribution of a quantity of heroin; and
4. Possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking.  
    

According to court documents, evidence presented in court and other documents, on June 7, 2019, someone working at the direction of the Duplin County Sheriff’s Office purchased approximately 2 ounces of methamphetamine from Hall at his residence.  Hall had the person come to his residence in Duplin County because he was on probation and wearing an ankle monitor from a prior state felony conviction.  On July 30, 2019, Onslow County Sheriff’s Detectives and ATF received information that Hall was selling narcotics from a hotel room in Onslow County.  Law enforcement stopped a vehicle after the driver was observed leaving Hall’s hotel room.  The driver was in possession of 13 grams of methamphetamine and a firearm.  Law enforcement searched Hall’s hotel room and found a small amount of heroin, digital scales, and a stolen handgun. 

The investigation revealed that Hall was involved in the distribution of more than five (5) kilograms of methamphetamine from July 2018 until the time of his arrest on July 30, 2019.

This is part of operation “Fighting Jelly Fish” 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 F. Easley, Jr., 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, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Duplin, Onslow and New Hanover County Sheriffs’ Office and Kinston Police Department investigated the case and Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy Severo   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. 7:19-CR-00139-FL-2.