Eastern District of North Carolina

RALEIGH, N.C. – Daniel Mitchell, a former lieutenant at the Federal Bureau of Prisons (FBOP), pleaded guilty to one charge of conspiring to violate civil rights.

“The defendant’s actions were an unacceptable breach of his responsibilities as a law enforcement officer,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “FBOP officers cannot take the law into their own hands, and the Justice Department will aggressively prosecute federal and local law enforcement officials who use physical force to punish inmates.”

“Corrections Officers work in dangerous environments with limited resources and deserve our respect and gratitude,” said U.S. Attorney Michael F. Easley, Jr., for the Eastern District of North Carolina. “But officers acting outside the law to injure an inmate erodes the rule of law, violates civil rights and puts other officers’ lives in jeopardy. We won’t tolerate misconduct in our prisons, by inmates or guards, and will take every measure to keep our institutions safe.”

“Rather than following the normal disciplinary process, Mitchell devised a plan to violently retaliate against an inmate,” said Special Agent in Charge Timothy C. Edmiston of the Justice Department Office of the Inspector General (OIG) Mid-Atlantic Region. “This coordinated attack violated the civil rights of a defenseless inmate and broke every tenet that FBOP employees swear an oath to uphold. The Justice Department OIG is committed to protecting the civil rights of inmates and will pursue any DOJ employee who abuses their power.”

According to court documents and other information presented in court, on Dec. 8, 2021, Mitchell was on duty as a lieutenant supervising the special housing unit (SHU) at Federal Correctional Institute Butner Medium II. Victim K.G. was an inmate housed in the SHU under Mitchell’s supervision.

That morning, a female officer reported to Mitchell that she had been doing rounds in the SHU when inmate K.G. exposed himself and engaged in a sexual act within her view. After the female officer left, Mitchell called another corrections officer, co-conspirator 1, into his office to discuss how to handle K.G.’s alleged misconduct. The normal disciplinary process at FBOP involved a formal write-up of the alleged misconduct. Mitchell and co-conspirator 1 decided that the formal disciplinary was not sufficient. Instead, Mitchell directed co-conspirator 1 to take inmate K.G. from his cell to a holding cell to teach him a lesson by “tuning him up.”

After receiving Mitchell’s instructions, co-conspirator 1 asked some fellow officers to help move inmate K.G. to a holding cell. Once they were alone in the cell, co-conspirator 1 struck and kicked inmate K.G. several times, and knocked him to the ground. Other officers intervened and pulled co-conspirator 1 away from K.G. K.G. sustained minor injuries and later called a medical emergency to his room because the incident aggravated a preexisting back condition and caused spasms.     

The Justice Department’s Officer of Inspector General initiated an investigation into the matter after an officer witness raised concerns. In interviews, multiple officer witnesses described officer co-conspirator 1’s unprovoked assault on inmate K.G. Officers also described seeing co-conspirator 1 meet with Mitchell just prior to when co-conspirator 1 asked for their assistance moving inmate K.G. to the holding cell. In later interviews, Mitchell and co-conspirator 1 both described meeting in Mitchell’s office and admitted that they agreed that officer co-conspirator 1 would assault K.G. as punishment.

A sentencing hearing is scheduled for March 31, 2025. Mitchell faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.   

The Justice Department’s Office of the Inspector General investigated the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Jake D. Pugh for the Eastern District of North Carolina and Trial Attorney Eric Peffley of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division are prosecuting the case.

Daniel Mitchell, a former lieutenant at the Federal Bureau of Prisons (FBOP), pleaded guilty this week to one charge of conspiring to violate civil rights.

“The defendant’s actions were an unacceptable breach of his responsibilities as a law enforcement officer,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “FBOP officers cannot take the law into their own hands, and the Justice Department will aggressively prosecute federal and local law enforcement officials who use physical force to punish inmates.”

“Corrections Officers work in dangerous environments with limited resources and deserve our respect and gratitude,” said U.S. Attorney Michael F. Easley Jr for the Eastern District of North Carolina. “But officers acting outside the law to injure an inmate erodes the rule of law, violates civil rights and puts other officers’ lives in jeopardy. We won’t tolerate misconduct in our prisons, by inmates or guards, and will take every measure to keep our institutions safe.”

“Rather than following the normal disciplinary process, Mitchell devised a plan to violently retaliate against an inmate,” said Special Agent in Charge Timothy C. Edmiston of the Justice Department Office of the Inspector General (OIG) Mid-Atlantic Region. “This coordinated attack violated the civil rights of a defenseless inmate and broke every tenet that FBOP employees swear an oath to uphold. The Justice Department OIG is committed to protecting the civil rights of inmates and will pursue any DOJ employee who abuses their power.”

According to court documents and other information presented in court, on Dec. 8, 2021, Mitchell was on duty as a lieutenant supervising the special housing unit (SHU) at Federal Correctional Institute Butner Medium II. Victim K.G. was an inmate housed in the SHU under Mitchell’s supervision.

That morning, a female officer reported to Mitchell that she had been doing rounds in the SHU when inmate K.G. exposed himself and engaged in a sexual act within her view. After the female officer left, Mitchell called another corrections officer, co-conspirator 1, into his office to discuss how to handle K.G.’s alleged misconduct. The normal disciplinary process at FBOP involved a formal write-up of the alleged misconduct. Mitchell and co-conspirator 1 decided that the formal disciplinary was not sufficient. Instead, Mitchell directed co-conspirator 1 to take inmate K.G. from his cell to a holding cell to teach him a lesson by “tuning him up.”

After receiving Mitchell’s instructions, co-conspirator 1 asked some fellow officers to help move inmate K.G. to a holding cell. Once they were alone in the cell, co-conspirator 1 struck and kicked inmate K.G. several times, and knocked him to the ground. Other officers intervened and pulled co-conspirator 1 away from K.G. K.G. sustained minor injuries and later called a medical emergency to his room because the incident aggravated a preexisting back condition and caused spasms.      

The Justice Department’s Officer of Inspector General initiated an investigation into the matter after an officer witness raised concerns. In interviews, multiple officer witnesses described officer co-conspirator 1’s unprovoked assault on inmate K.G. Officers also described seeing co-conspirator 1 meet with Mitchell just prior to when co-conspirator 1 asked for their assistance moving inmate K.G. to the holding cell. In later interviews, Mitchell and co-conspirator 1 both described meeting in Mitchell’s office and admitted that they agreed that officer co-conspirator 1 would assault K.G. as punishment.

A sentencing hearing is scheduled for March 31, 2025. Mitchell faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.   

The Justice Department’s Office of the Inspector General investigated the case.  

Assistant U.S. Attorney Jake D. Pugh for the Eastern District of North Carolina and Trial Attorney Eric Peffley of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division are prosecuting the case.

RALEIGH, N.C. – A Raleigh man was sentenced to 96 months in prison after fleeing from the police and discarding a “ghost gun”.  On May 22, 2024, Treyvion Maleke Sutton pled guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition.

According to court documents and other information presented in court, on December 8, 2023, Sutton, 20, fled from Raleigh police officers on foot after officers attempted a traffic stop of a vehicle in which he was a passenger. While running from officers, Sutton discarded a loaded, unserialized “ghost gun” with an extended magazine. Sutton, who has prior felony convictions for common law robbery, assault by strangulation, discharge of a weapon into occupied property, assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill and battery of an unborn child, was prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition.

A privately made firearm is often called a “ghost gun” because it is not marked with a serial number and therefore is far more difficult for law enforcement to trace if they are used to commit crimes. These firearms can be made from scratch, or they can be assembled from weapon parts kits, including “buy-build-shoot” kits, which are weapon part kits with pre-manufactured, dissembled, complete firearms (a firearm in a box).

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

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 Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Raleigh Police Department investigated the case and Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah E. Nokes  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. 5:24-CR-24-D-RN.

RALEIGH, N.C. – Talvin Lamar Brandon, 29, was sentenced to 96 months in prison for armed drug trafficking after hitting an officer’s patrol car as he was fleeing from a traffic stop. On September 3, 2024, Brandon pled guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine, and possession with the intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine.

According to court documents and other information presented in court, Brandon was identified as a kilogram level source of cocaine supply in the Franklin County area. In July 2024, law enforcement attempted a traffic stop of Brandon’s vehicle after a suspected drug transaction. However, as the officer exited the vehicle to conduct the stop, Brandon fled, hitting the officer’s patrol car as he sped away. Officers pursued Brandon, who eventually lost control of the vehicle and ran off the road. Brandon then exited the vehicle and attempted to flee on foot. While fleeing, Brandon dropped two kilograms of cocaine. From his vehicle, law enforcement seized a firearm and a loaded magazine.

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

Michael F. Easley, Jr., 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 the Franklin County Sheriff’s Department investigated the case and Assistant U.S. Attorney Casey L. Peaden  prosecuted the case.

Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:23-CR-247.

RALEIGH, N.C. – Michael Lynn Russell, a 62-year-old resident of Fuquay-Varina, has been sentenced to 120 months in prison after being arrested twice for trafficking methamphetamine.  Russell pled guilty on October 8, 2024.

“This sentencing reflects the commitment of the Fuquay-Varina Police Department to protecting our community from the devastating impact of methamphetamine trafficking. We are grateful for the collaboration with the United States Attorney’s Office, the DEA, the North Carolina State Highway Patrol, and our dedicated officers who worked tirelessly to bring this case to justice. Let this serve as a clear message: we will not tolerate illegal drug activity in Fuquay-Varina,” said Fuquay-Varina Police Chief Tim Smith.

According to the court documents and other information review by the court, in August and September 2022, officers with the Fuquay-Varina Police Department (FVPD) received information from a confidential source (CS1) that Russell was sourcing drug sales occurring at the Marquee Station Apartments in Fuquay-Varina.  Law enforcement conducted surveillance on Russell between September 2022 and December 2022.  On December 2, 2022, officers with the North Carolina State Highway Patrol (NCSHP), the FVPD, and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) conducted a traffic stop on Russell’s vehicle after he left a hotel. A K-9 officer then conducted an open-air sniff search of the car, which resulted in a positive alert for controlled substances.  

A search of Russell resulted in the seizure of two large bundles of cash folded in half and rubber banded. A search of the vehicle revealed two scales, a meth pipe, torches, baggies, methamphetamine, Suboxone, hydrocodone and Adderall pills, cocaine, and a locked box containing U.S. currency. A total of $10,779.00 in cash was seized during the traffic stop.  Russell was arrested following the traffic stop and released on a state bond.

From August 2022 through May 15, 2024, Russell was arrested twice each while possessing additional drugs. At sentencing Russell was found to be responsible for 44 kilograms of methamphetamine, 10 milligrams of hydrocodone, 11 dosage units of Suboxone, 150 milligrams of pure methamphetamine, 5 grams of cocaine, and 26 dosage units of Alprazolam.  After each of his arrests, Russell admitted to his criminal activities to law enforcement.

Michael F. Easley, Jr., U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, made the announcement after sentencing by Chief Judge Richard Myers. The Drug Enforcement Administration, Fuquay-Varina Police Department, and the North Carolina State Highway Patrol investigated the case. 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 5:24-cr-00142-M-BM.

RALEIGH, N.C. – A New Bern man was sentenced to 40 years in prison for trafficking and distributing methamphetamine and fentanyl for a large-scale drug trafficking operation in Craven County.  On August 8, 2024, a Raleigh jury found Lucio Camargo Garcia guilty of the charges.

“Garcia took advantage of Craven County’s most hopeless souls, extracting profit from their pain and addiction,” said U.S. Attorney Michael F. Easley, Jr. “Too many of our friends, families, and neighbors are battling addiction.  The Craven County Sheriff’s Office and New Bern Police won’t stand by and let armed drug traffickers push kilos of fentanyl and meth in our community unchecked, and neither will we.  Eastern North Carolina traffickers take note - our partnership is for the long haul, and we won’t let off.”

“This sentencing sends a clear message that our community will not tolerate the trafficking of dangerous drugs like methamphetamines and fentanyl,” said HSI Charlotte Special Agent in Charge Cardell T. Morant, HSI Charlotte covers North and South Carolina. “These substances devastate lives and destroy communities.  HSI and its partners are committed to holding those who profit from this destruction accountable. This is a warning to those who engage in this illegal activity – we will pursue justice relentlessly.”

“This investigation identified Garcia as a major importer and distributor of methamphetamine and fentanyl in Craven County,” said Craven County Sheriff Chip Hughes. “His prosecution, along with his co-conspirators has resulted in a significant reduction in the availability of these dangerous drugs in our communities.”

According to court records and evidence presented at trial, in 2021, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Craven County Sheriff’s Office, the New Bern Police Department, the State Bureau of Investigation, and other state and local agencies launched an investigation into a large-scale drug trafficking organization responsible for acquiring kilogram quantities of methamphetamine and fentanyl from the southwest border of the United States and distributing the drugs in and around Craven County. Through the use of confidential sources, surveillance, enforcement actions, and controlled purchases, Garcia was identified as the primary distributor of methamphetamine and fentanyl who re-sold the product to both drug users and other area dealers.

From January to October 2022, law enforcement conducted multiple controlled purchases of methamphetamine and fentanyl from Garcia. On October 31, 2022, search warrants were executed at residences associated with the drug trafficking organization, including Garcia’s residence. Law enforcement seized approximately one kilogram of methamphetamine, approximately nine hundred grams of fentanyl (powder and pill form), and a loaded firearm from Garcia’s residence. Most of the drugs were located in a secret compartment in the ceiling of Garcia’s bedroom closet.

This investigation was 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 James C. Dever III. The DEA, HSI, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, North Carolina State Bureau of Investigations, Craven County Sheriff’s Office, New Bern Police Department, and Pamlico County Sheriff’s Office  investigated the case and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Katherine Englander 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 No. 4:22-CR-75-D-RJ-2.

RALEIGH, N.C. – A former marine was sentenced to 144 months imprisonment followed by 5 years of supervised release, and $273,000 in restitution to 29 victims, for receipt of child sexual abuse material (CSAM). 

According to court documents and other information presented in court, Paul Anthony Reyes, 23, was investigated by the investigated by the Naval Criminal Investigative Services after Instagram reported to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children that one of its users had uploaded contraband to its platform.  The IP address used to upload the illegal content was linked to Reyes who was an active duty Marine stationed at U.S. Marine Corps Air Station in Cherry Point.

NCIS agents executed a search warrant on the Instagram account which revealed Reyes was willing to trade and distribute child pornography material to other Instagram users.  Subsequently, NCIS executed a search warrant on Reyes’ person and barracks.  Multiple digital devices were seized and forensically analyzed pursuant to the search warrant.

On those devices, law enforcement found thousands of images and videos of child pornography.  Many of them depicted sadistic and masochistic conduct.  Reyes possessed multiple images and videos depicting the rape and abuse of infants and toddlers.

Michael F. Easley, Jr., U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after the sentencing was concluded.  U.S. District Judge Terrence W. Boyle presided over the sentencing.  The Naval Criminal Investigative Services investigated the case and Assistant U.S. Attorney Charity Wilson prosecuted the case.

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

Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 4:24-CR-1-BO.

RALEIGH, N.C. – A Raleigh man was sentenced to 108 months in prison for possessing a firearm and ammunition as a felon that he used to shoot a person on March 21, 2023.  On September 4, 2024, Robert Terrance Green, III pled guilty to the charges.

“Robert Terrance Green III is a dangerous felon who has demonstrated a reckless disregard for the lives and property of others.  I am grateful that justice has been served to prevent him from further harming our community.   The residents of Raleigh can sleep peacefully knowing that the Raleigh Police Department and our federal partners are committed to ridding our community of violent actors, such as Mr. Green.  The sentencing of Green, III highlights our strong collaboration with the U.S. Attorney’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. The Raleigh Police Department takes pride in working alongside our federal, state, and local partners to investigate and prosecute individuals who threaten our community,” said Raleigh Police Chief Estella Patterson.

According to the indictment and information presented to the court, Robert Terrance Green, III, 43, possessed a firearm and ammunition as a convicted felon when he shot another man at an apartment complex in Raleigh on March 21, 2023. The Raleigh Police Department (RPD) quickly responded to the scene of shooting, where officers spoke with multiple witnesses. RPD learned that Green drove his vehicle through the entrance of the apartment complex and confronted the victim in a verbal altercation. Green shot numerous rounds of ammunition at the victim and struck the victim two times in the left leg. After shooting the victim, Green fled the scene. The victim was transported to WakeMed Hospital. On March 27, 2023, RPD officers initiated a traffic stop on a vehicle drive Green. A search of the vehicle produced the firearm used in the shooting at the apartment complex at the time of his arrest. Following his arrest, Green admitted to shooting the victim.

Green has previously been convicted of felony offenses, including assault with intent to cause physical injury with a weapon or instrument, unlawful possession of a handgun, and threats of violence.

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

Michael F. Easley, Jr., U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after the sentencing concluded. U.S. District Judge Terrence W. Boyle presided over the sentencing. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Raleigh Police Department investigated the case and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jaren E. Kelly 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. 5:24-CR-78-BO.

RALEIGH, N.C. – Quentin Allen Jackson, 58, was sentenced to 84 months in prison and ordered to pay three million dollars in restitution.  Jackson pled guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering with respect to the fraudulent proceeds Paycheck Protection Act (“PPP”) COVID-19 loans guaranteed by the Small Business Administration.

“We in the Carolinas idolize our basketball stars, especially the ACC greats who played on Tobacco Road,” said U.S. Attorney Michael F. Easley, Jr. “As a college point guard and Harlem Globetrotter, Jackson’s crossover was deadly.  But he drew a foul when he used his talents and reputation to recruit people into a multi-million-dollar fraud on our nation’s pandemic relief program.  This seven-year prison sentence should stand as a warning to anyone who took advantage of our nation’s generosity in a time of need.  We are patient, persistent, and willing to use every second on the shot clock.”  

“Schemes to fraudulently obtain federal funds meant to provide assistance to small businesses is unacceptable,” said Special Agent in Charge Donald “Trey” Eakins, Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) in the Charlotte Field Office. “The defendant took advantage of critical aid programs intended to provide relief for businesses affected during the pandemic by fraudulently applying for and obtaining COVID-19 program funds. “IRS Criminal Investigation special agents will continue to pursue individuals who try to exploit federal relief programs for their personal gain.”

This sentence follows the recent guilty plea following four days of trial testimony of Earl Lamont Taylor, who worked with Quentin Jackson and Edward Whitaker to obtain fraudulent PPP loans.  Mr. Jackson is the 27th defendant to be sentenced in this investigation, with five others awaiting sentencing.

Jackson conspired with others to obtain fraudulent PPP loans in the names of several companies under Jackson’s control.  After receiving the proceeds of the fraudulent PPP loans, Jackson carried out a series of steps detailed by his co-conspirators to make it appear as though the borrower’s company was paying bi-weekly payroll to its employees.  These actions made it appear as though Jackson’s companies were paying regular wages as intended by the CARES Act.  Jackson instructed his purported employees to cash the checks, and then return the illicit cash to him.

In addition to directly engaging in the PPP fraud described above, Jackson also served as a middleman, earning a fee from his co-conspirators for each additional fraudulent borrower he recruited.  He ultimately recruited over a dozen individuals who obtained fraudulent PPP loans.  Those Jackson recruited engaged in the same scheme described above to launder the proceeds of the fraudulent loans.  Nearly $4 million of fraudulent PPP disbursements are attributable to Jackson or to individuals he recruited to the scheme.

In March 2020, Congress passed the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, which was designed to provide emergency financial assistance to millions of Americans who were suffering the economic effects caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.  The CARES Act and additional appropriations authorized up to $649 billion in forgivable loans to small businesses through the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). Financial institutions issued the PPP loans, which were guaranteed by the Small Business Administration (SBA).

Michael F. Easley, Jr., U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after United States District Judge James C. Dever III announced the sentence.  The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Criminal Investigation is investigating the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys David G. Beraka and William M. Gilmore are prosecuting the case.

Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:22-cr-00180-D.

RALEIGH, N.C. – A Wake Forest man was sentenced to 96 months in prison for dealing fentanyl in Raleigh.  On September 23, 2024, Michael Anthony Weidner pled guilty two counts of distribution of a quantity of fentanyl.

According to court documents and other information presented in court, Michael Weidner, 31, sold cocaine, and fentanyl and Adderall pills from October 2022 through April 2024.  In addition, in November of 2022, Weidner, a convicted felon, was found intoxicated and asleep in the driver’s seat of a car with a loaded AR-15 style firearm on the passenger seat.  When a Wake County Sheriff’s Deputy approached and awakened Weidner, Weidner reached for the firearm and was taken into custody. As a previously convicted felon, Weidner cannot legally possess a firearm or ammunition.

This prosecution was 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 Chief U.S. District Judge Richard E. Myers II. The Federal Bureau of Investigation, Raleigh Police Department, and Wake County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case and Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles E. Loeser  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. 5:24-CR-85-M-KS.

RALEIGH, N.C. – On November 21, 2024, a federal grand jury returned an indictment charging a Durham man after allegedly being involved in an October shootout at Crabtree Valley Mall.

“The holiday season is a time for peace on earth – not shootouts in the parking deck,” said U.S. Attorney Michael F. Easley, Jr. “Our Violent Crime Team is working even more closely with local law enforcement this holiday, including using federal tools to keep our community safe.”

According to the indictment and information presented to the court, Jamarion Burton, 22, allegedly possessed a firearm and ammunition as a convicted felon when he engaged in a shootout with another group of individuals at Crabtree Valley Mall in Raleigh on October 26, 2024. The Raleigh Police Department (RPD) quickly responded to the scene where the shooting occurred and apprehended one suspect. After speaking to multiple witnesses and viewing surveillance footage from the mall, RPD allegedly identified Burton and learned that he and his companion had gotten into a verbal altercation with another group of individuals while inside the mall. The alleged altercation continued into the parking deck where both groups exchanged gunfire. Upon law enforcement arriving, Burton’s group allegedly fled the scene. Burton was later apprehended in Durham by the RPD with the assistance of the Durham Police Department. Burton had one of the firearms allegedly used in the mall shooting on his person at the time of his arrest.

Burton is charged with one count of possessing a firearm and ammunition as a convicted felon. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of fifteen years in prison.

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

It is also a case that is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.

Michael F. Easley, Jr., U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and RPD are investigating the case and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jaren E. Kelly is prosecuting the case.

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

RALEIGH, N.C. – Daryl Cromartie, 32, of Wilmington, was sentenced to 15 years in prison for possession of a firearm by felon and possession with the intent to distribute fentanyl, cocaine, and phencyclidine (PCP).  On February 27, 2024, Cromartie pled guilty to the charges.

According to court records and evidence presented in court, in February 2023, the Wilmington Police Department (WPD), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the New Hanover County Sheriff’s Office (NHCSO) began investigating the drug trafficking activities of Daryl Cromartie. From February 23, 2023, to July 14, 2023, law enforcement utilized confidential informants (CIs) to purchase narcotics from Cromartie. Most of the controlled buys occurred outside of Cromartie’s residence in Wilmington. Prior to the transactions, Cromartie and the CIs communicated via cellphone.

On July 17, 2023, the FBI obtained a search warrant for Cromartie’s residence in Wilmington. Cromartie was present during the search and acknowledged there were various controlled substances, a handgun, and U.S. currency in the home. Officers seized 8.01 grams of cocaine, 42.8 grams of crack cocaine, 55.2 grams of heroin/fentanyl, 37.2 grams of marijuana, a digital scale, $4,360 in U.S. currency and a loaded 9mm handgun from a safe in the master bedroom.

Michael F. Easley, Jr., U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, made the announcement after sentencing by Chief U.S. District Judge Richard E. Myers II. The FBI, WPD, and NHCSO investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Leonard Champaign 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. 7:23-CR-00094-M.

RALEIGH, N.C. – A Raleigh woman was sentenced to 15 months in prison for defrauding the Social Security Administration.  On June 26, 2024, Mary Elizabeth Workman pled guilty to one count of theft of government funds.

“Stealing from the system is stealing from those who truly need it,” said U.S. Attorney Michael F. Easley, Jr. “By fraudulently collecting over $200,000 in disability benefits while running a successful business, this case highlights the lengths some go to exploit taxpayer funded programs. We remain committed to exposing fraud and protecting resources for the deserving.”

“This 15-month prison sentence holds Mary Elizabeth Workman accountable for theft of government funds. While working in her own business, she continually received disability benefits she was not entitled to receive. My office will continue to aggressively pursue those who defraud the Social Security Administration,” said Hannibal “Mike” Ware, Acting Inspector General for Social Security. “I appreciate the work of the U.S. Attorney’s Office and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Lisa Labresh for prosecuting this case.”   

According to court documents and other information presented in court, Workman, 51, received over $200,000 in Social Security benefits that she was not entitled to. From 2008 through 2023, Workman received monthly disability benefits based on her claim that she was unable to work due to several medical conditions. However, while Workman was collecting these benefits, she owned and operated a successful tax refund business. Workman never disclosed this business income to the Social Security Administration, and instead continued to collect monthly disability benefits knowing that she did not qualify financially.

Michael F. Easley, Jr., U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Terrence W. Boyle. The Social Security Administration, Office of Inspector General, investigated the case.

Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Lisa K. Labresh 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. 5:23-CR-00195-BO-BM.

RALEIGH, N.C. – A former Coast Guard member was sentenced to 133 months in prison followed by 10 years of supervised release for receiving child pornography after an investigation found that he had solicited child pornography from multiple women. Stephen Lamond Lollis, 36, pled guilty to the charge on August 19, 2024.

According to court documents and other information presented in court, Lollis was investigated by the Department of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the Coast Guard after a former romantic partner reported him to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. In her tip, the woman reported that Lollis had shown her the child pornography he possessed and had made graphic comments about his desire to sexually abuse her and her son. 

As a result of this tip, HSI agents executed a search warrant on Lollis’ residence, which resulted in four devices being seized that contained contraband. On those devices, law enforcement found images and videos of child pornography. Additionally, law enforcement found conversations on his devices in which Lollis encouraged women to sexually abuse their own children and then to send him videos and images of the abuse. Lollis had engaged in this coercive behavior to solicit child pornography from multiple women, including the woman who ultimately reported him to law enforcement.

Michael F. Easley, Jr., U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after the sentencing was concluded.  U.S. District Judge Louise W. Flanagan presided over the sentencing.  The Department of Homeland Security and the Coast Guard investigated the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Charity Wilson prosecuted the case.

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

Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 7:24-CR-21-FL-RN.

RALEIGH, N.C. – Harold Vernard Greene, Jr., age 45, was sentenced to 24 years in prison for drug trafficking with three children in a vehicle. This conviction marks Greene’s third federal conviction in the Eastern District of North Carolina.

“Greene is a frequent-flyer federal felon with direct ties to Mexico based drug traffickers,” said U.S. Attorney Michael F. Easley, Jr. “We won’t allow habitual narcotics traffickers to operate in our state and will be relentless in pursuing cases all the way to the foreign supplier.”

In January 2023, law enforcement identified Greene meeting with drug couriers in Wilmington. Subsequently, they continued their investigation and conducted a surveillance operation on March 21, 2023. During this operation, they observed Greene travel to a parking lot at a Wilmington mall, where he received a package from a drug courier. Shortly after receiving the package, Greene handed it to a person in another vehicle. The driver of that vehicle was Greene’s girlfriend, Three minor children were present in the vehicle with Greene’s girlfriend. A search of the girlfriend’s vehicle revealed that the package given to her by Greene contained a kilogram of cocaine.  

Law enforcement then executed a search warrant at Greene’s apartment. At this location, they seized a loaded firearm, bulk cash, drug packaging materials, four cell phones, and varying amounts of psilocybin gummies and marijuana products—further investigation of the seized phones uncovered direct communication with drug traffickers based in Mexico.

Greene’s criminal history includes two prior federal convictions: one in 2013 for cocaine trafficking that resulted in an 84-month sentence and another in 2017 for possessing drugs while in federal prison, leading to an additional 24-month sentence. Additionally, Greene has four state felony convictions for drug trafficking.

“This career criminal is a tragic example of individuals who have wanton disregard for the safety of our community, including children as was the case in this investigation,” said Robert J. Murphy, Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Division. “DEA’s efforts in bringing him to justice will ensure he spends well deserved time in prison.”

“I am extremely proud of the men and women of the WPD for their tireless work on this case. As is evident with his prior criminal record, the suspect continues to disrespect the law and disregards the safety of others. In this case, he also endangered several children. Our agency will not tolerate criminals who seek to place the stability of their illegal operations over the well-being and safety of our citizens. I want to thank all of those who worked on this case and appreciate the continued efforts by U.S. Attorney Easley to ensure a lengthy prison sentence that fits the crime,” said Wilmington Police Chief Donny Williams.

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 DEA, SBI, and the Wilmington Police Department investigated the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Tyler Lemons prosecuted the case.

This prosecution was 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.

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 the case number 7:23-CR-00103-D.

RALEIGH, N.C. – Arturo Barcenas Gonzalez, a Cary businessman, was sentenced to 37 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for evading over $1 million in federal taxes. In addition to his prison sentence, Barcenas was ordered to pay restitution to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) in an amount to be determined at a later date.

“We are turbocharging white collar enforcement in North Carolina with groundbreaking state and federal partnerships,” said U.S. Attorney Michael F. Easley, Jr. “This businessman’s convoluted scheme involved titling cars for cash and using that cash to creatively conceal his income and fuel a lifestyle complete with high-end vehicles and a million-dollar home. This partnership with NC Division of Motor Vehicles, Homeland Security Investigations, and the NC Department of Insurance worked together seamlessly with IRS to build the case.”

According to court documents and other information presented in court, Barcenas operated multiple businesses in Cary, including Barcenas Insurance Agency, LLC (BIA) and Barcenas Financial Services, LLC (BFS).  BIA, a retail insurance provider, offered both traditional and automotive insurance policies. Investigations revealed that BIA operated a high-volume, cash-intensive business that included registering and titling vehicles for undocumented individuals using fraudulent business names and certificates. BFS, on the other hand, specialized in tax return preparation for federal and state filings.

The investigation disclosed that in July 2018, Barcenas filed a falsified 2017 federal income tax return that concealed over $300,000 in business revenue. Subsequent evidence showed Barcenas stopped filing tax returns entirely after that year, despite generating receipts exceeding $1 million annually between 2018 and 2022. To evade IRS scrutiny, Barcenas used various methods, such as titling assets under nominees, depositing business proceeds into personal accounts, and handling large amounts of cash to conceal income. Barcenas used his untaxed gains to fund his personal lifestyle, including the purchase of high-end vehicles and a $1 million residence.

In May 2023, federal agents executed a search warrant at Barcenas’s Cary offices. The operation led to the recovery of multiple income-related documents indicating that Barcenas had misled federal investigators in prior interactions. The total estimated tax loss attributable to his actions amounted to over $1 million for the tax years 2018 through 2021.

Michael F. Easley, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, made the announcement after the sentencing by United States District Judge Louise W. Flanagan. IRS-Criminal Investigation, based in Raleigh, investigated the case.  The U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations, the North Carolina Department of Insurance, and the North Carolina Department of Motor Vehicles also provided valuable assistance.

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. 5:23-CR-376-FL.

RALEIGH, N.C. – James Hathcock, 45, of New Jersey City, NJ, was sentenced to 68 months in prison for distributing drugs around a neighborhood in Pollocksville. Hathcock pled to possession of a firearm in connection to a drug crime and possessing with the intent to distribute cocaine, fentanyl, and methamphetamine. 

According to court records and evidence presented in court, in February of 2023, law enforcement received complaints of possible drug activity on Nguyen Lane, a local neighborhood street in Pollocksville. From March 3 to April 20, 2023, law enforcement was able to conduct seven controlled purchases using a confidential source (CS), where Hathcock provided the CS with cocaine, methamphetamine, and fentanyl. During many of these purchases, Hathcock traveled to meet his supplier, co-defendant Robert Milton Green, before completing the transaction.

After completing the controlled purchase on April 20, 2023, law enforcement simultaneously executed search warrants at Hathcock’s and Green’s residences. From Hathcock’s residence, law enforcement seized 10 grams of crack cocaine, 84 grams of cocaine, 28 grams of crystal methamphetamine, nine grams of fentanyl, 112 grams of marijuana, a .380 caliber handgun, two .45 caliber handguns, assorted ammunition, digital scales, and three Narcan nasal spray bottles. From Green’s residence, law enforcement seized 137.7 grams of crack cocaine, 52.4 grams of crystal methamphetamine, 159.4 grams of fentanyl, 568.8 grams of cocaine, 253 grams of marijuana, 34.6 grams of heroin, and $10,800 in U.S. currency.

Green was sentenced to 11 years on October 25, 2024, for possessing with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine, 40 grams or more of fentanyl, 50 grams or more of methamphetamine, and a quantity of cocaine.

Michael F. Easley, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, made the announcement after sentencing by Chief U.S. District Judge Richard E. Myers II. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the Department of Homeland Security, the Jones County Sheriff’s Office, and the Craven County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case. 

Assistant U.S. Attorney Leonard Champaign 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. 4:23-CR-00035-M.

RALEIGH, N.C. – A Fayetteville man was sentenced to 180 months in prison for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon after attempting to carjack man with a loaded gun in Harnett County.  On May 9, 2024, Terry A. Frederick pleaded guilty to the charge.

According to court documents and other evidence presented in court, on the evening of January 31, 2023, Frederick, 40, was seen walking near Hodges Chapel Road and I-95 in Harnett County. Witnesses reported that Frederick shouted threats at people in the area and fired a handgun. He then approached a man in a pickup truck, trying to pull him from the vehicle. However, the truck driver managed to close the door and drive away. Frederick subsequently fired at least one shot at the truck.

When police attempted to arrest Frederick, he resisted. Officers eventually arrested him and discovered a partially loaded, stolen .40 caliber pistol in his jacket pocket. Frederick has a history of multiple felony convictions, including drug and property crimes.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.

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, the Dunn Police Department and the Harnett County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah E. Nokes 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. 5:23-CR-108-D-RJ.

RALEIGH, N.C. – United States Attorney Michael F. Easley, Jr. announced today that Southeastern Behavioral Healthcare Services, LLC (“Southeastern”), a behavioral health business in Lumberton and Maxton, and its owners Bertha Hutchinson and Virgil Hutchinson (“the Hutchinsons”), have agreed to pay $2,505,000.00 to settle civil allegations that they falsely billed North Carolina Medicaid for services that were not rendered.  Southeastern has also agreed to enter an Integrity Agreement with the Office of Inspector General - United States Department of Health and Human Services as part of the settlement.

Specifically, the United States and the State of North Carolina allege that Southeastern and the Hutchinsons improperly submitted claims to North Carolina Medicaid for services that were not in fact rendered, evidenced by recipient interviews establishing that services were not necessary at all, were systematically not rendered as billed, that services were billed for patients who were incarcerated or deceased on the billed date of services, and by a pervasive lack of medical records supporting either the provision of or necessity for the billed services, during the period from March 1, 2016, through July 14, 2020.  The Governments allege that Southeastern’s and the Hutchinsons’ conduct violated the Federal and North Carolina False Claims Acts.

“This is yet another example of the U.S. Attorney’s Office and the North Carolina Attorney General’s Office working together to proactively pursue fraud in our publicly-funded healthcare programs,” said U.S. Attorney Michael F. Easley, Jr.  “Billing taxpayer-funded healthcare programs for services that are not rendered will not be tolerated.  Our office will continue to work with the North Carolina Attorney General’s Office to root out healthcare fraud within our public healthcare programs and hold providers accountable for engaging in fraud, waste, and abuse.”

“Medical providers are required to strictly adhere to the law when billing Medicaid for services,” said Special Agent in Charge Kelly Blackmon of the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “HHS-OIG, in collaboration with our law enforcement partners, remains committed to investigating improper billings submitted to federally funded health care programs.”

“Medicaid dollars are taxpayer dollars, and health care providers need to be responsible stewards of this money,” said Attorney General Josh Stein. “I’m grateful for U.S. Attorney Easley’s partnership to protect the Medicaid program and fight health care fraud.”

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

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

This matter was investigated by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of North Carolina, the Office of Inspector General – United States Department of Health and Human Services (OIG-HHS), and the Medicaid Investigations Division of the North Carolina Attorney General’s Office (MID).  Special Deputy Attorney General Matthew R. Petracca, who also serves as a Special Assistant United States Attorney, represented the Government and the State of North Carolina.

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

RALEIGH, N.C. – Following four days of testimony before a federal jury, a Raleigh man and business owner pled guilty to a Bank Fraud and Wire Fraud, that netted the man almost $300,000 in fraudulent Paycheck Protection Act (PPP) COVID-19 loans.  This fraud was part of a multimillion-dollar national scheme, and, to date, more than 30 defendants have pled guilty and 26 have been sentenced.

“Lamont Taylor ran a business scouting players who hustled on the court, but ran his own hustle off the court, fraudulently securing over $300,000 in PPP relief funds,” said U.S. Attorney Michael F. Easley, Jr. “While most of us were trying to help our neighbors navigate a global pandemic, this talent scout and ‘life coach’ was helping himself to relief funds.  We will continue to investigate and prosecute those that choose fraud over goodwill.”

“The Paycheck Protection Program was meant to aid those affected the most during the pandemic,” said Special Agent in Charge Donald “Trey” Eakins, Charlotte Field Office, IRS Criminal Investigation. “Today’s plea shows the defendant conspired to fraudulently obtain federal funds. Through our partnership with the U.S. Attorney’s Office and other federal law enforcement partners, our special agents will continue to pursue individuals who try to exploit federal relief programs for their personal gain.”

According to court records and evidence presented at trial, Earl Lamont Taylor, age 52, worked with Quentin Jackson and Edward Whitaker to obtain fraudulent PPP loans.  Jackson pled guilty in November 2022 and Whitaker pled guilty in January 2023. Taylor was referred to Whitaker by Jackson, and, with Whitaker’s assistance, Taylor applied for and received loans for two businesses, Get Me Recruited, LLC (a basketball scouting and tournament staging business) and Changing the Game Life Coach (purportedly a life coaching service for young athletes). The total received for both loans was $291,665.50, and Taylor paid Whitaker $72,917.24 for his assistance. In addition to the fraudulent loans, the trial evidence showed that Taylor also cashed alleged “payroll” checks for Jackson on Jackson’s PPP loans.

Information presented at the trial showed that Get Me Recruited, LLC did have business in 2019 and 2020, but employees listed on the loan application testified that they never made more than $2,000 per year and were not regularly salaried employees. The loan application submitted by Taylor listed their annual salaries as being between $110,145 and $128,416. In contrast, Changing the Game Life Coach did not appear to have any meaningful business during the relevant period and employees testified that they had never done any work for the company, and the bank account associated with the business was only open to receive the loan disbursement.

Taylor faces up to 30 years in prison when sentenced.

Other defendants that have been sentenced in the broader “Loanstarters” PPP scheme involving Edward Whitaker include:

• Albert Eugene Miller, Jr. [Case No. 5-22-CR-00290-D]
• Jonathan Fleming [Case No. 5-22-CR-00337-D]
• Nekita Hooks [Case No. 5-23-CR-00025-D]
• Denise Coit Alston [Case No. 5-23-CR-00077-D]
• Monica Faye Barnes [Case No. 5:23-CR-00094-D]
• Dontrell Barnes [Case No. 5-23-CR-00094-D]
• Isaac Lamont Dawson [Case No. 5:23-CR-0097-D]
• Irene Edwards [Case No. 5-23-CR-00098-D]
• Natosia Jerome Jenkins [Case No. 5:23-CR-00167-D]
• Ronald L. Jones [Case No. 5:23-CR-00339-D]
• Delvin Dashavone Felder [Case No. 5:23-CR-00198]
• Shun Lamont Gibbs [Case No. 5:23-CR-00346-D]
• Teresa Ann McRae [Case No. 5:23-CR-00313-D]
• Dontae Antonio Murphy [Case No. 5:24-CR-00072]
• Jackson Ndoyo [Case No. 5-23-CR-00118-D]
• Terron Cortez Parker [Case No. 5-23-CR-00081-D]
• Ayyub Abdur Rasheed [Case No. 5:23-CR-00314-D]
• Karim Aziz Razzak [Case No. 5:23-CR-00324]
• Toni A. Smith [Case No. 5:23-CR-00312-D]
• Darian Casteele Tyler [Case No. 5:23-CR-00338-D]
• Shakeerah Kaneisha Yvette Vinson [Case No. 5-23-CR-00027-D]
• Anthony S. Whitaker [Case No. 5:23-CR-00311-D]
• James Elton Watson Case No. 5:23-CR-00323-D]
• Shara Monique Wells [Case No. 5:23-CR-00323-D]
• Kami D. Woodard [Case No. 5-23-CR-00095-D]
• Lenille Woodard [Case No. 5-23-CR-00138-D]

Defendants awaiting sentencing include:

• Hanif Abdul-Hakim [Case No. 5:24-CR-00109-D]
• Schunda Coleman [Case No. 5-22-CR-00257-D]
• Quentin Jackson [Case No. 5-22-CR-180-D]
• Everett M. McBride [Case No. 5:24-CR-00036-D]
• Edward Whitaker [Case No. 5-22-CR-00257-D]

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

Michael F. Easley, Jr., U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after U.S. District Judge James C. Dever III accepted the plea. Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigations is investigating the case and Assistant U.S. Attorneys William M.  Gilmore and David Beraka are prosecuting the case.

Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:23-CR-00335-D.

RALEIGH, N.C. – A federal grand jury returned an indictment charging a Durham man with cyberstalking five victims. One of the charges alleges that the harassment began in 2016 and continued through this year.  The indictment further alleges that the defendant, David Ryan Winters, targeted the victims due to their sexual orientation or gender identity.

According to the indictment, Winters, age 38, sent electronic and text messages to the victims, and, in some cases, people close to them, attempting to intimidate and harass the victims. Winters, if convicted on all counts, faces a maximum of 25 years in prison.

This indictment and prosecution is a result of the work of the Civil Rights Team launched by U.S. Attorney Michael Easley in 2022, which prioritizes the investigation and prosecution of civil and criminal cases involving civil rights, such as gender or sexual identification, religion, race and national origin, the protection of voter rights, disability rights or access, and discrimination in housing, healthcare, lending, employment, and education. In 2023, the office added two new dedicated civil rights prosecutors to the team.

The EDNC Civil Rights Team has pursued numerous matters this year arising from cyberstalking and threats targeting victims for their membership in protected groups.  Earlier this month, an Alabama man was indicted for cyberstalking a local woman allegedly targeting her because of her sexual orientation. In May, a California man was arrested after making threats targeting multiple entities and individuals, including an elected official, members of law enforcement, and several synagogues located in North Carolina, while residing in California at the time the threats were made.

“Everybody has an equal right to live, work, worship, and love in America” said U.S. Attorney Michael F. Easley, Jr.  “We won’t tolerate those who threaten, stalk, or use violence just because they don’t like how somebody else lives.  Everybody is treated equally and fairly under the law and we won’t normalize violence and intimidation.  Our Civil Rights Team is squaring off against threats and hate-fueled violence of any kind and not slowing down.”

If you or someone you know is a victim of cyberstalking, you are encouraged to contact your local law enforcement or the FBI.

Michael F. Easley, Jr., U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement. The Raleigh and Durham Police Departments, the Wake County Sheriff’s Office, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation are investigating the cases and Assistant U.S. Attorney Erin Blondel is prosecuting the cases.

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

RALEIGH, N.C. – Raleigh businessman Wilson Alfredo Olivera Borda pled guilty to nine counts of defrauding the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) for over $1 million. At sentencing, Olivera faces a statutory maximum of 30 years imprisonment and a fine of up to $1,000,000.

According to court documents and other information presented in court, in 2020 and 2021, Borda received nine PPP loans for five separate companies. To obtain those loans, Olivera submitted applications falsely claiming that each business had substantial employees and operations. Olivera bolstered those falsehoods by submitting fabricated tax returns supporting his applications.

In truth, two of the companies, The Insurance Centers.Com and The Insurance Centers LLC, were not separate businesses, but trade names used by a different company for which Borda had already applied for and received COVID relief funding. The other three, Realty Vestors LLC, US-Kaizen LLC, and Ecobuild LLC, had little or no operations and no employees. After obtaining the loans, Borda made additional false statements to obtain forgiveness. All nine loans were fully forgiven and paid off by the U.S. Small Business Administration.

“This businessman pocketed over $1 million in PPP relief funds by submitting bogus tax returns suggesting his business had legitimate operations and employees.  When the FBI dug in, the house of cards came tumbling down,” said U.S. Attorney Michael F. Easley, Jr.  “We should be proud to live in a nation that cares for the needy and moves quickly to handle the greedy.  Law enforcement is working daily to root out fraud on public programs.”

Michael F. Easley, Jr., U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after the arraignment by United States District Judge Terrence Boyle. The Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated the case.

Assistant United States Attorney Chris Cogburn 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. 5:24-CR-215-BO.

RALEIGH, N.C. – Christopher Gibson, 41, of Wilmington, was sentenced to 240 months in prison for trafficking more than 30 pounds of methamphetamine in the Wilmington area. He pled guilty on August 13, 2024, to a drug conspiracy involving more than 500 grams of methamphetamine and cocaine.

According to court documents and other information presented in court, on November 18, 2021, the San Diego Airport Police, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) San Diego Field Division, and the San Diego County Integrated Narcotics Task Force received information that an individual was attempting to transport fentanyl from California to North Carolina. That information led agents to Gibson at the airline gate in California. Gibson was in possession of $10,635 and a United States Postal Service (USPS) receipt. Using these postal receipts, USPS agents located a package that Gibson had attempted to send to an address in Wilmington. A search of the package revealed two kilograms of cocaine.

On April 27, 2023, a Wilmington Police Department officer conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle driven by Gibson. As the officer approached Gibson's car, Gibson fled at a high speed, exceeding 80 miles per hour, and failing to stop at a stop sign. He eventually stopped the vehicle in a cul-de-sac. A K-9 officer responded to the scene and alerted law enforcement to the presence of narcotics in the vehicle. A search revealed cash and multiple cell phones. While fleeing, Gibson discarded a bag containing approximately 18 grams of cocaine, 195 bindles of fentanyl, and three grams of methamphetamine.

On October 10 and 20, 2023, law enforcement conducted two controlled purchases of 110 grams of methamphetamine each, from Gibson. On October 24, 2023, another controlled purchase of 193 grams from Gibson occurred.

On October 30, 2023, a Wilmington Police Department officer conducted another traffic stop on a vehicle driven by Gibson. During this stop, a K-9 officer alerted to the presence of narcotics. A search of the vehicle uncovered approximately a gram of fentanyl on the driver's side floorboard. Additionally, a search of Gibson’s person revealed eight baggies containing approximately 10 grams of fentanyl. He was also in possession of multiple cell phones and cash.

Throughout the investigation, law enforcement discovered that from 2020 to 2021, Gibson had multiple kilograms of cocaine shipped from both California and Arizona to Wilmington, where he operated several stash houses. In 2023, it was determined that he imported more than 30 pounds of methamphetamine to various locations in Wilmington for distribution.

Gibson has a previous federal conviction for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute more than 500 grams of cocaine and more than 50 grams of cocaine, as well as dihydrocodeinone. He also has prior charges for using, carrying, and possessing a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime.

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

Michael F. Easley, Jr., 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 Tobacco, Alcohol and Firearms, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Wilmington Police Department, and the New Hanover County Sheriff’s Office 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. 7:24-CR-00039.

RALEIGH, N.C. – Oralia Rodriguez Flores, age 40, pled guilty to three federal charges related to her role in trafficking narcotics and money laundering for the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG).  Flores, who lived in Clayton, pled guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and cocaine, one count of distribution of methamphetamine, and one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering.  When sentenced, Flores faces up to life imprisonment.

“The CJNG cartel is one of Mexico’s most violent drug trafficking organizations,” said U.S. Attorney Michael F. Easley, Jr.  “Their brutal reign is bankrolled by American drug proceeds flowing back to cartel leaders.  Our strategy is to systematically degrade the entire criminal network by taking down the traffickers running narcotics to the Carolinas and cutting off the cashflow back to Mexico.  Our new Illicit Finance Task Force dismantles the financial infrastructure enabling illegal cashflows to disrupt the cartels’ financial incentives.”

“Oralia Rodriguez Flores endangered countless individuals by trafficking in large quantities of deadly methamphetamine and cocaine,” said Robert J. Murphy, Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Division. “She knowingly and intentionally helped members from the violent CJNG cartel distribute their drugs and launder their money.”

According to information presented in court, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) agents determined that Flores, acting at the direction of a Mexican source of supply, was distributing kilogram quantities of narcotics to and from South Carolina customers.  Agents used a variety of investigative techniques to conduct a controlled purchase of methamphetamine. The investigation revealed that Flores was selling kilograms of cocaine for $22,000 per kilogram.

On another occasion, Flores was observed picking up cocaine for a customer. She traveled from her home in Clayton to a Blythewood, South Carolina hotel. Flores then told the customer she had 18 kilograms of cocaine and sent video evidence.

During a later interview with agents, Flores admitted being involved with drug trafficking for approximately three years. She explained that she met drivers of 18-wheeler trucks on five or six occasions to pick up cocaine from Mexico.  Each shipment contained approximately 10 kilograms of cocaine. She then distributed the drugs to customers in South Carolina. Flores also said that her source of supply in Mexico sent the methamphetamine she distributed from Mexico to California, and then it was mailed to South Carolina. 

Flores also laundered drug proceeds to Mexico.  She admitted that she provided over $1 million in cash to commercial truck drivers and that she delivered drug proceeds to runners for an Asian money laundering network that were then sent to the source of supply in Mexico.  Flores also used money service businesses to wire money to Mexico.

Flores prosecution results from an investigation by the Eastern District of North Carolina’s Illicit Finance Task Force (IFTF) and from an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation.  Created in 2024 in partnership with the Treasury Executive Office of Asset Forfeiture (TEOAF), the IFTF is an interagency anti-money laundering task force comprised of prosecutors and agents. The IFTF is dedicated to combatting money laundering activities affecting the Eastern District of North Carolina through strategic use of criminal and civil laws.  OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.

Michael F. Easley, Jr., U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, made the announcement after Chief United States District Judge Richard E. Myers II accepted the plea. The investigation is being conducted by IRS-Criminal Investigation and the DEA.

Assistant U.S. Attorney’s Toby Lathan and Charles Loeser are prosecuting the case.

Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:24-CR-252-M.

RALEIGH, N.C. – Karem Felton, age 31, from Elizabeth City, was sentenced to 147 months in prison for possession with the intent to distribute forty grams or more of a mixture and substance containing fentanyl and ten grams or more of a mixture and substance containing a fentanyl analogue after investigators with Pasquotank County Sheriff’s Office searched Felton’s residence on May 19, 2023, in response to shots fired a day earlier.

“Disrupting drug trafficking in our communities is a critical part of our mission. The FBI and our local partners are working very hard to take dangerous drugs off of our streets, along with the people who peddle them. This case is another great example of law enforcement working together to make our communities safer,” said Robert M. DeWitt, the Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in North Carolina.

“I want to thank my Deputies at the Pasquotank County Sheriff’s Office, Elizabeth City Police Department, Federal Bureau of Investigations and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the great work that has been done to combat the drug and violent crime issues we face on a daily basis,” said Pasquotank County Sheriff Tommy Wooten.

On May 18, 2023, Elizabeth City Police officers responded to shots fired at a vehicle. Officers collected eight .300 caliber rifle shell casings in the area and reviewed city cameras around the area of the incident. They were able to see a male step out of a BMW and fire shots at a Dodge Charger. Law enforcement saw Felton driving the same BMW with the same license plate earlier in the month on March 6, 2023.

On May 19, 2023, investigators from the Pasquotank County Sheriff’s Office conducted a search of Felton’s residence. During the search, they discovered several items in the bedroom: a 7.62 x 39mm pistol hidden under the bed, a .300 Blackout pistol in the closet, and a 10mm pistol containing fentanyl inside the headboard of the master bed. Additionally, officers found two AR pistol braces in a soft-sided cooler and a .300 Blackout magazine with 18 rounds of .300 Blackout ammunition placed between the mattress and box spring.

In a spare bedroom, officers located a safe that contained $11,050 in cash, assorted ammunition, and a digital scale. In the living room, they found $1,108 in cash and two cell phones hidden inside the couch. A firearm holster was also discovered in the children's bedroom. After conducting a further search of the vehicle, officers uncovered fentanyl, cocaine, and additional cash.

Michael F. Easley, Jr., U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, made the announcement after sentencing by United States District Court Judge Louis W. Flanagan. Elizabeth City Police Department,  Pasquotank County Sheriff’s Office, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated the case and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Julie A. Childress and Katherine S. Englander are prosecuted the case.

This investigation was 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.

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.5:24-CR-114-M-BM.

RALEIGH, N.C. – Kevin Lassiter, of Tyner, was sentenced today to 120 months in prison for possession of child pornography after online CyberTips led local sheriff’s deputies to search his devices.  On August 5, 2024, Lassiter, 40, pled guilty to the charge.

According to court documents and other information presented in court, on September 27, 2023, the Perquimans County Sheriff’s Office received 12 CyberTips from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC).  Electronic service providers submit CyberTips to NCMEC to report users who possess child sexual abuse material on their systems.  A cloud-based storage provider for the Verizon network reported 12 CyberTips of a user uploading images depicting prepubescent minors engaged in sex acts between July 29 to August 25, 2023.

Investigators were able to link the tips, through an associate phone number, to Lassiter, and a residential billing address in Tyner.  Investigators confirmed Lassiter’s address and found that he was a registered sex offender after state convictions in 2013 for 3rd degree sexual exploitation of a minor in Carteret County. 

Later the same day, investigators obtained and executed a search warrant for Lassiter’s residence.  During a search with Lassiter present, investigators found a Samsung Galaxy phone on the stairwell that rang when they dialed the number associated with the CyberTips. 

Investigators seized a computer downstairs at a desk, which Lassiter admitted was his. The computer was connected to a USB hub with four cables plugged into it, but no devices connected to those cables. Deputies then found multiple hard drives under the desk. When they picked up a 6TB Western Digital MyBook hard drive, Lassiter called out that it was a router. After a deputy responded that it was a hard drive and would be seized, Lassiter became noticeably distraught and hung his head. 

During a recorded interview at the sheriff’s office, Lassiter admitted the device he claimed was a router was a hard drive that contained child pornography.  Lassiter explained that he would copy images from the hard drive to his phone.

A forensic review of the 6TB Western Digital external hard drive revealed approximately 10,000 files of child sexual abuse material.  The files included infants through teenage minors, with an estimated 90% of files depicting minors 10 years old or younger.

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 Perquimans County Sherriff’s Office and the Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated the case, which Assistant U.S. Attorney Jake D. Pugh prosecuted.

Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:24-cr-0014-BO.

RALEIGH, N.C. – U.S. Attorney Michael F. Easley, Jr., announced efforts to combat transnational money laundering, including the creation of the Eastern District of North Carolina’s Illicit Finance Task Force (IFTF). The IFTF is a groundbreaking multiagency task force constituted to disrupt, dismantle, or render ineffective organizations involved in laundering criminal proceeds from drug trafficking and other crimes.  The task force targets third-party money launderers and money transmitting businesses utilizing cryptocurrency, money services, bulk cash, banking, and brokerages to run dirty money through the American financial system.  The task force is led by the U.S. Attorney’s Office with partners from various federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies.

“Money talks,” said U.S. Attorney Michael F. Easley, Jr.  “And we will follow every lead it gives us.  Cartels and corrupt regimes around the world think they can dodge American jurisdiction while using our financial system to wash criminal proceeds. Our new Illicit Finance Task Force exists to take down the most prolific ‘money movers,’ seize criminal assets, and cripple the world’s most crooked enterprises.  We will vigorously protect the integrity of our banking system and deal a hard blow to any network running dirty money through our state.”

Easley highlighted one of the first successful prosecutions led by his office. Wimel Isaac DaSilva, 29, of New York, NY, pled guilty for conspiring to operate an illegal money transmitting business and to making false statements and reports to financial institutions.  

According to information presented in court, DaSilva owned and operated a Raleigh business that purported to provide consulting and software development services to its customers, but instead served as a shell company that transmitted proceeds of drug trafficking and other criminal activity to South American accounts.

From 2019 to 2022, DaSilva opened accounts with at least eight banks and virtual currency exchanges (VCEs).  Using these accounts, DaSilva received more than $40 million in cryptocurrency.  After converting cryptocurrency to U.S. currency, the funds were rapidly transmitted to individuals and shell companies located outside of the United States.

Under the Bank Secrecy Act, financial institutions and VCEs that provide money transmission services must establish anti-money laundering (AML) programs that include, among other things, conducting due diligence on their customers, monitoring transactions for illicit activity, and reporting suspicious activity to FinCEN.

DaSilva sought to obstruct the AML functions of banks and VCEs by routinely making materially false and misleading statements regarding the nature of his business and the purpose of specific financial transactions. He also provided fabricated contracts and invoices in an attempt to backstop false statements about the source of funds and relationships with counterparties.

“DaSilva’s web of lies and schemes to conceal the laundering of illicit proceeds has been laid bare and he is being held accountable,” said Special Agent in Charge Cardell T. Morant who leads Homeland Security Investigations Charlotte, covering North and South Carolina. “HSI is committed to protecting the integrity of the U.S. banking system from criminals and will continue to prioritize these investigations.”

“We continue to find and close the pathways in illicit financial crimes with the support of our partner agencies,” said Special Agent in Charge Donald “Trey” Eakins, Charlotte Field Office, IRS Criminal Investigation. “IRS Special Agents are skilled at investigating all types of tax and related financial crimes and today's plea is a testament to their hard work and commitment.”

DaSilva’s prosecution results from an investigation by the Eastern District of North Carolina’s Illicit Finance Task Force (IFTF). Created in 2024 in partnership with the Treasury Executive Office of Asset Forfeiture (TEOAF), the IFTF is an interagency anti-money laundering task force comprised of prosecutors and agents. The IFTF is dedicated to combatting money laundering activities affecting North Carolina through strategic use of criminal and civil laws.

Michael F. Easley, Jr., U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, made the announcement after Chief United States District Judge Richard E. Myers II accepted the plea. The investigation is being conducted by IRS-Criminal Investigation and Homeland Security Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Toby Lathan is prosecuting the case.

Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:24-CR-252-M.

RALEIGH, N.C. – Shoun Lamelle Wright Jr., 28, a resident of Sumter, South Carolina, was sentenced to 240 months in prison for drug trafficking and firearms offenses after he led law enforcement on a high-speed chase. These charges included possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, cocaine, and fentanyl, as well as possession of a firearm by a felon. On August 4, 2024, he pled guilty to the charges.

“This armed drug runner tried to flee from state troopers at 135 miles per hour before ditching his dope out the driver’s side door,” said U.S. Attorney Michael F. Easley, Jr. “Running from law enforcement never works, and puts innocent motorists at risk. Many thanks to the NC Highway Patrol and Jacksonville Police for taking this dangerous felon off the streets.”

“This case not only highlights the risks that our members incur during the performance of their duties, but also the perilousness that hard-working North Carolinians can face as a result of such actions as they travel on our state’s highways,” said Colonel Freddy Johnson Jr., Commander of the North Carolina State Highway Patrol. “Our mission is to ensure the safety of our state’s motorists and inhabitants, and we greatly value the partnership of the Department of Justice in their pursuit to place accountability of criminals at the forefront to help us accomplish this mission. The decisiveness of this sentencing is undoubtedly a victory for the people of North Carolina.”

“Mr. Wright's complete and utter disregard for the safety of others is disturbing.  Not only was he involved in activities that harmed our community, but he also deliberately put resident's lives at risk with his actions.  I am thankful no one in the community was physically harmed by his actions.  I commend the members from the Jacksonville Police Department, N.C. State Highway Patrol, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the U.S. Attorney's Office for their service to our community and for their excellent collaboration in bringing this case to a successful resolution,” said Jacksonville Police Chief Jarad Phelps.

According to court documents and other information presented in court, the N.C. State Highway Patrol (NCSHP) conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle driven by Wright on July 21, 2021. Wright initially pulled over and then fled as the trooper approached his vehicle, driving up to 135 miles per hour. Law enforcement made a successful stop when the vehicle entered Jacksonville. Once stopped, Wright dropped a bag containing 26 grams of crack out of the driver’s door, and a search of the vehicle resulted in the seizure of marijuana.

On July 29, 2021, officers with the Jacksonville Police Department (JPD) responded to a call from a security guard at the Platinum Gentlemen’s Club who saw an armed individual bagging narcotics in the establishment’s parking lot. The security guard stated that the individual, later identified as Wright, had pointed a pistol at him as he approached the vehicle. Later that day, a JPD officer identified the vehicle driven by Wright parked at a residence known to law enforcement due to previous narcotics and violent crime investigations. After Wright left the residence, the JPD officer initiated a traffic stop on his vehicle. Officers returned to the residence and conducted a search where they seized a loaded 9mm pistol with an obliterated serial number, a 27-round magazine, a second 9mm pistol, and a loaded .380 caliber pistol. They also seized nearly 2,000 grams of marijuana, more than 55 grams of crack, more than eight grams of cocaine, and over $7,000 in cash. Wright claimed ownership of the drugs and guns found at the residence. As a previously convicted felon, Wright cannot legally possess a firearm or ammunition.

Michael F. Easley, Jr., U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Terrence W. Boyle. The NCSHP, the JPD, and the FBI investigated the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ashley Foxx and Leonard Champaign 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-00100-BO.

RALEIGH, N.C. – Seth Allen Hall, 29, was sentenced to 190 months in prison for his involvement in the trafficking of methamphetamine and fentanyl after fleeing from law enforcement on four separate occasions. On August 16, 2024, Hall pled guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of a substance containing methamphetamine, and a quantity of fentanyl; possession with the intent to distribute 5 grams or more of methamphetamine, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.

“This defendant led three different Sheriff’s Offices on reckless chases that put innocent drivers at risk,” said U.S. Attorney Michael F. Easley, Jr. “We won’t stand for drug traffickers who consistently put our law enforcement officers in danger.”

“This sentence reflects the destructive impact on the community caused by this defendant,” said Special Agent in Charge Cardell T. Morant who leads Homeland Security Investigations Charlotte, covering North and South Carolina. “HSI is committed to holding those accountable who distribute their poison into our communities.”

“The Sampson County Sheriff's Office remains committed to eradicating drugs in our community. We are proud of our continued relationship with our federal partners.  These partnerships have proven to be a valuable asset in investigations and justice,” said Sampson County Sheriff Jimmy Thornton.

According to court documents and other information presented in court, Hall has been supplying kilogram quantities of methamphetamine and fentanyl for several years. In December 2022, Hall fled from law enforcement at speeds exceeding 130mph before crashing and being apprehended by the Harnett County Sheriff’s Office (HCSO). Following the crash, law enforcement seized methamphetamine and fentanyl.

In June 2023, HCSO deputies approached a parked vehicle that Hall was a passenger in. When law enforcement attempted to remove Hall from the vehicle, he climbed into the driver’s seat and fled down the highway.

On July 14, 2023, the Sampson County Sheriff’s Office (SCSO) observed Hall driving a vehicle and pulling a trailer, which was fishtailing on the highway. The SCSO deputy attempted to stop Hall, but Hall fled in the vehicle and then fled on foot after jackknifing the vehicle in the middle of the road. Law enforcement located a handgun on the ground near where Hall was ultimately arrested. Inside his vehicle, deputies located digital scales, syringes, drug paraphernalia, and methamphetamine.

Roughly fifteen days later, the Onslow County Sherriff’s Office (OCSO) attempted to make a traffic stop on a vehicle driven by Hall. He refused to comply and drove over 130mph before striking two other vehicles, jumping the curb, crashing, and running away. He was quickly apprehended. A search of his person and vehicle revealed cash, over 500 grams of methamphetamine, 22 grams of fentanyl and xylazine, cocaine, and multiple cell phones.

Hall has prior felony convictions for possession of heroin in 2019 and 2020, as well as attempted trafficking by transportation and attempted trafficking by possession in 2019.

Michael F. Easley, Jr., U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Terrence W. Boyle. HSI, the SCSO, HCSO, OCSO, and the ATF investigated the case and Assistant U.S. Attorney Casey Peaden prosecuted the case.

Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:23-CR-0041.

RALEIGH, N.C. – A Jacksonville man was sentenced to 108 months in prison for armed drug trafficking in Jacksonville after being found in his car with his child, a loaded gun, and drugs.  On August 9, 2024, Antwone Hatchell, age 24, pled guilty to possession with the intent to distribute a quantity of cocaine base and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.

“Mr. Hatchell is clearly a dangerous individual.  Not only did he put his own 2-month-old child in danger, but he was intent to do harm within our community through the trafficking of illegal narcotics.   I am thankful to the U.S. Attorney's Office and the members of the Jacksonville Police Department and Onslow County Sheriff's Office for their professionalism and dedication to keeping our community safe,” said Jacksonville Police Chief Jarad Phelps.

According to court documents and other information presented in court, Antwone Hatchell, was caught with illegal drugs and firearms four consecutive times in nine months.  In November 2022, he was found in the car with his 2-month-old child, a loaded 9mm handgun with a high-capacity magazine, methamphetamine, cocaine, and marijuana hidden in a diaper bag.  In both February and July 2023, he was found asleep in a running vehicle, each time with a loaded gun and multiple types of controlled substances.  And on a separate occasion in July, he was pulled over and found with a loaded AR-15 pistol with a large capacity magazine and red dot optic, a loaded 9mm pistol, 17.07 grams of fentanyl, 13.2 grams of cocaine base, and other contraband.

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 Jacksonville Police Department and the Onslow County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case and Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles E. Loeser  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. 7:24-CR-11-D.

RALEIGH, N.C. – A Pennsylvania man, Jerome Fiers, was sentenced to 10 years in prison for his role in a drug trafficking operation involving large quantities of fentanyl and cocaine. Fiers, who operated as a middleman in a drug distribution network from Philadelphia to Raleigh, coordinated transactions that involved nearly 10 kilograms of cocaine and 323.8 grams of fentanyl. On July 15, 2024, Friers, age 47, pled guilty to the charges.

“We are using every tool available to combat the flow of fentanyl into Eastern North Carolina,” said U.S. Attorney Michael F. Easley, Jr. “We have dismantled Fiers’ extensive operation, which moved large quantities of drugs from Philly to Raleigh through the diligent efforts of the DEA and Raleigh Police Department. This case resulted in significant drug seizures and removed dangerous weapons from our streets, reflecting our commitment to keeping our communities safe.”

According to court documents and additional information presented in court, between July 2022 and January 2023, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) agents utilized confidential sources to purchase controlled substances from Fiers and conduct surveillance. This operation led to multiple seizures and helped clarify Fiers’ role within the organization.

On December 8, 2022, law enforcement arrested co-defendant Desmond Boyd, a well-known supplier in the network. His arrest resulted in the seizure of over 10 kilograms of cocaine, $7,591 in cash, and an AR-15 rifle with an obliterated serial number. Boyd would travel from Philadelphia and Reading, Pennsylvania, to deliver drugs to Fiers in Raleigh.

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 DEA and the Raleigh Police Department investigated and Assistant U.S. Attorney Kelly Sandling prosecuted the case.

This prosecution was 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.

Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:23-CR-00053-FL.

RALEIGH, N.C. - A New Bern man was sentenced to nearly five years in prison for possessing a firearm as a felon. On August 15, 2024, Kevin Martell Johnson a/k/a “Stoney J”, age 28, pled guilty to the charge.

According to court documents and other information presented in court, on March 17, 2023, officers with the New Bern Police Department conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle in which Johnson was a passenger after it ran a stop sign. The vehicle pulled into the Wells Fargo parking lot, and Johnson fled on foot. As Johnson was fleeing, he dropped a .40 caliber handgun. Officers discovered approximately five grams of crack cocaine stuffed in the trigger guard of the firearm. Johnson was eventually apprehended, and during a search of his person, officers found marijuana and eight oxycodone pills.

Officers swabbed the firearm to obtain a DNA sample from Johnson, which was then sent to the lab for comparison. The lab confirmed that Johnson’s DNA was present on the firearm. Johnson is identified as an active member of the Bloods street gang in New Bern.

“The New Bern Police Department is proud to be part of a partnership dedicated to addressing violent street gangs, felony drug offenses, and other acts of violence. Collaborating with the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the FBI, and other local and state law enforcement agencies, we have combined personnel, technology, and resources to hold offenders accountable for these serious crimes. We remain committed to creating a safe, crime- and drug-free community where everyone can live without fear,” said New Bern Police Chief Patrick Gallagher.

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

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 FBI and New Bern Police Department investigated the case and Assistant U.S. Attorney Phil Aubart 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. 4:24-CR-20-FL.

RALEIGH, N.C. – A Jacksonville man was sentenced to 152 months in prison for selling drugs and firearms at the same time in New Bern and Jacksonville.  On March 26, 2024, Fan Troy Staton, age 50, pled guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possession with the intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine, distribution of five grams or more of methamphetamine, and possession of a firearm by a felon.

“Drug trafficking and guns go hand in hand,” said U.S. Attorney Michael F. Easley, Jr. “This trafficker dealt guns alongside his fentanyl, including a fifty-caliber rifle. We can’t let armed drug traffickers roam our streets and aren’t letting up in our support for local communities fighting drugs and violence that has claimed far too many lives.”

Craven County Sheriff Chip Hughes stated, “This prosecution by U.S. Attorney Michael F. Easley’s Office, working with local, state, and federal law enforcement partners represents another successful example of removing a criminal drug and firearms dealer from Eastern North Carolina and sends a strong message for those who chose to engage in illegal activities.”

According to court documents and other information presented in court, Staton sold methamphetamine and fentanyl to a confidential informant on ten occasions in 2021, at times including firearms with the drugs. On one occasion, Staton sold the informant approximately 14 grams of fentanyl along with a .50 caliber rifle. On another occasion, he sold approximately 23 grams of methamphetamine, five grams of fentanyl, and a 12-gauge shotgun. In total, Staton distributed or possessed with the intent to distribute over 67 grams of methamphetamine, 69 grams of fentanyl, and 141 grams of cocaine, and he possessed or sold six firearms in connection with his drug trafficking activities.

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 New Bern Police Department, Craven County Sheriff’s Office, Onslow County Sheriff’s Office, N.C. State Bureau of Investigation, Naval Criminal Investigation Service and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case and Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles E. Loeser 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-71-FL.

RALEIGH, N.C. - A Fayetteville man was sentenced to more than seven years in prison for impersonating an elderly man to steal his federal benefits and commit fraud. On August 19, 2024, Brandon Scott Grimble pled guilty to aggravated identity theft, bank fraud, and wire fraud.

“Fraudsters like Grimble are targeting our elders, hoping to steal pensions and social security, and ruining their credit,” said U.S. Attorney Michael F. Easley, Jr. “We won’t stand by and watch this happen. Grimble and those like him will face hard time for their callous crimes.”

According to court documents, Grimble, age 43, gained access to the personal identifying information of the victim, an elderly man who was in poor physical and mental health. From early 2021 through 2022, Grimble, along with his co-defendant, impersonated the victim to steal his Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation and Social Security benefits, open bank accounts, purchase vehicles, and take out life insurance policies all in the victim’s name. After the victim died in June 2022, Grimble impersonated the victim to apply for additional life insurance policies and lines of credit on the victim’s home.

“PBGC OIG remains steadfast in its commitment to working with Federal prosecutors and law enforcement partners to aggressively pursue those who engage in activities that threaten the financial safety of the aging population” said Inspector General Nicholas J. Novak of the PBGC OIG. “I commend the diligence of the PBGC OIG investigatory team for bringing detailed aspects of this case to light, and the work of the U.S. Attorney’s Office to ensure accountability and justice.”

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 United States Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation, Office of Investigation investigated the case and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Lisa K. Labresh is prosecuting the case.

Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:24-CR-00112-FL.

NEW BERN, N.C. – A Henderson man was sentenced to 138 months in prison for armed drug trafficking. On August 15, 2024, Cedric Neal pled guilty to possession with the intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl and a quantity of cocaine and possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.

According to court documents and other information presented in court, Neal, 38, was previously sentenced to 105 months imprisonment for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 100 grams or more of heroin.  He was released from federal prison on July 27, 2022, and was placed on supervised release for five years.  By January 2023, investigators received a tip that Neal—while on supervised release—had resumed drug trafficking activities.

Investigators conducted seven controlled purchases of crack, fentanyl, or both from Neal, then executed search warrants at three locations associated with him.  The search warrants yielded fentanyl, cocaine, cocaine base, marijuana, and numerous firearms.  Ultimately, Neal was held accountable for 1,205 grams of marijuana, 451 grams of cocaine, 288 grams of fentanyl, nine grams of cocaine base, and five firearms.

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 Henderson Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case and Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles E. Loeser  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. 5:24-CR-40-FL.

NEW BERN, N.C. –  Joseph Lee, age 28, of Wilmington, was sentenced to 100 months in prison, followed by four years of supervised release, for conspiracy to distribute and possession with the intent to distribute 50 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine, distribution of methamphetamine and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.  On August 13, 2024, Lee pled guilty to the charges.

According to court documents and other information presented in court, on June 29, 2023, law enforcement made a controlled purchase using a confidential informant, of approximately an ounce of methamphetamine from Lee around the Market North Apartment in Wilmington.  Lee was armed with a handgun at the time. Between June 29 and August 3, law enforcement purchased an additional 40 grams of methamphetamine from Lee.  According to law enforcement, Lee is a validated gang member of Folk Nation.

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

Michael F. Easley, Jr., U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Louise W. Flanagan. The ATF and the New Hanover County Sheriff’s Office 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. 7:23-CR-00121-FL.

NEW BERN, N.C. – An Ahoskie man was sentenced to 102 months in prison for the armed robbery of a Verizon Store and the use of a firearm during and in relation to the robbery.  On June 11, 2024, Marcus Lee Deloatch pled guilty to the charges.

According to court documents and other information presented in court, Deloatch, age 40, forced his way into the store through the back door as the manager was closing for the night on December 21, 2023. Deloatch, who was a former employee of the store, pistol-whipped the manager, knocking her to the ground and then went to the front of the store where the register was located. He pointed his firearm at another employee while he grabbed $1,200 out of the register. During the encounter Deloatch complained that the store owed him his last paycheck for $200. Deloatch then fled out the rear of the store. Both victims recognized their former coworker and police were able to quickly find and arrest Deloatch, who commented that he had not planned on getting locked up until after Christmas.

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 FBI and Ahoskie PD investigated the case. 

Assistant U.S. Attorney Phil Aubart  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. 2:24-CR-11-FL.

NEW BERN, N.C. – Jakil Deandre Bond, 28, of Williamston, was sentenced to 141 months in prison for engaging in illegal firearm trafficking and drug distribution. Bond, a validated gang member, organized the purchase of firearms through co-defendants and straw purchasers Malik Jaree Bazemore and Ti’quiran Rodgers, who is also a validated gang member.

“We are targeting the violent gangs and reckless gunrunners fueling violence in our cities,” said U.S. Attorney Michael F. Easley, Jr.  “This gun trafficker formed an iron pipeline of firepower from North Carolina to Washington, D.C., where shootings fueled further gang violence.  Gun traffickers and straw purchasers are on notice – you are on the pathway to federal prison.” 

“Firearms trafficking and straw purchasing is a critical issue that puts too many firearms in the hands of prohibited individuals,” said ATF Special Agent in Charge Bennie Mims. “Our priority is fighting violent gun crime, and when we can find and stop the individuals responsible for illegal firearms purchases, we can better protect our communities and communities across the country.”

“The Greenville Police Department works seamlessly with local, state, and federal partners to ensure that all crimes are fully investigated and prosecuted whether they occur solely in the city limits of Greenville or in instances such as this case where it extends far beyond our jurisdiction,” stated Greenville Police Chief Ted Sauls.

According to court records and evidence presented in court, from 2019 to November 2021, Bond, Bazemore, Rodgers, and Barron Nathaniel Shaw conspired to traffic over 50 firearms from North Carolina to Washington, D.C., and other East Coast areas. Bazemore and Rodgers, both residents of North Carolina, purchased firearms from federally licensed dealers in North Carolina and then transferred the firearms to Bond, Shaw, and others. Bazemore and Rodgers falsely stated that they were purchasing the firearms for personal use on multiple firearm transaction records.

An investigation was launched by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) in September 2019 after the D.C. Metro Police (MPD) recovered several firearms at crime scenes and shootings that were traced back to purchases made in North Carolina. Multiple firearms were found at crime scenes in Washington D.C., Maryland, and in North Carolina, as well as in the possession of validated gang members. The investigation revealed that Bond, a validated member of the Rollin 40’s set of the Crips street gang, organized the purchase of firearms from Bazemore and Rodgers. He then introduced them to Shaw and other contacts in D.C. to expand their straw purchasing operation. Bond and Shaw reimbursed Bazemore and Rodgers for the purchase price of the firearms while compensating them for conducting the transactions.

On January 24, 2023, ATF agents went to Bond’s apartment in Greenville, to serve him with a federal arrest warrant in connection with the gun trafficking conspiracy. As they knocked on the front door, Bond was observed exiting the rear of the residence and placing items on the back porch. Agents searched the apartment and recovered 731 grams of cocaine, 33 grams of cocaine base, 64 grams of fentanyl, three firearms, assorted ammunition, and other drug paraphernalia items.

Barron Shaw was sentenced to 48 months on September 8, 2023, for engaging in the business of dealing firearms without a license.

Malik Bazemore was sentenced to 24 months on September 18, 2024, for engaging in the business of dealing firearms without a license and knowingly making a materially false statement to a federally licensed firearms dealer.

Ti’quiran Rodgers was sentenced to 24 months on October 11, 2024, for engaging in the business of dealing firearms without a license and knowingly making a materially false statement to a federally licensed firearms dealer.

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 ATF, the Greenville Police Department, the Windsor Police Department, the Pitt County Sheriff’s Office, and the MPD investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Leonard Champaign 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. 4:22-CR-00088-FL.

NEW BERN, N.C. – A Wayne County man was sentenced today to 155 months in prison and five years of supervised release for armed trafficking of counterfeit pills laced with fentanyl after one victim died of an overdose in July 2022.  The judge also ordered that the defendant’s supervised release include at least 50 hours of community service focused on educating youth about the dangers of fentanyl. On April 11, 2024, Dylan Alexander Jones, age 24, pled guilty to one count of distribution of fentanyl and one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.

“We are bringing swift justice against anyone trafficking counterfeit pills laced with deadly fentanyl, especially when their poison claims one of our neighbor’s lives,” said U.S. Attorney Michael F. Easley, Jr. “North Carolina’s Sheriffs are prioritizing overdose death investigations like never before and have a direct line to my office to prosecute them.  Our team has trained law enforcement across the district on building airtight cases to secure firm sentences in federal court.  Our Sheriffs are going the distance to get justice for victims and keep North Carolina safe.”

“The sentencing of Dylan Jones is a pivotal step in our ongoing fight against the devastating impact of drug overdose deaths. We stand firm in our commitment to justice for the victims and their families. I want to commend our exceptional team for their relentless dedication and professionalism in building this challenging case. Together, we are making strides toward a safer community,” said Duplin County Sheriff Stratton Stokes.

According to court documents and other information presented in court, on July 22, 2022, deputies with the Duplin County Sheriff’s Office (DCSO) responded to a 911 call regarding an unresponsive male at a residence in Teachey. Prior to the arrival of the deputy, a Teachey firefighter on scene confirmed that the victim was deceased. A post-mortem toxicology report confirmed the presence of fentanyl in the victim’s system and the cause of death was determined to be fentanyl toxicity.

Law enforcement recovered the victim’s cell phone and an analysis of the data showed that the victim had received pills from an individual using a Snapchat account associated with Jones. GPS data from the victim’s phone and Jones’ phone show that they met at a rest area in Warsaw just hours before his death. In addition, law enforcement made three controlled purchases from Jones between September 2022 and November 2022. All of the pills purchased from Jones contained fentanyl. At the third and final buy, law enforcement arrested Jones. Jones was armed with a handgun at the time of his arrest, and a search of his vehicle resulted in the seizure of a 9mm pistol loaded with 16 rounds of ammunition, fentanyl and over $1,600 in cash.

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 DCSO, the Carolina Beach Police department and the Drug Enforcement Administration 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. 7:23-CR-00114-FL.

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RALEIGH, N.C. – A Halifax County man was sentenced today to seven years in prison for helping to rob a Speedway convenience store on January 31, 2023, in Enfield. On August 9, 2024, Khiyelle Dent pled guilty to one count of interfering with commerce by robbery and aiding and abetting. He also pled to being a felon in possession of a firearm.

According to court documents and other information presented in court, Dent, age 21, was the getaway driver for an individual who entered the Speedway in Enfield, brandished a firearm, and demanded money from the clerk. The clerk gave cash to the robber, who then returned to the vehicle, and fled the area.  Enfield Police Department Officers were able to stop the suspect vehicle shortly after the robbery. They found Dent as well as several items of clothing that matched several robberies that had occurred in the month prior in Halifax County. As police approached Dent’s vehicle, his passenger successfully fled on foot.

On February 2, 2023, deputies from the Halifax County Sheriff’s Office responded to a Dollar General store located near their office after employees called 911, fearing a robbery was about to occur. The suspect, identified as Dent, entered the store, looked around, and signaled to someone in the parking lot before the deputies arrived. Dent was carrying a cross-body bag, and when officers arrived, one of them frisked him and discovered a firearm. Dent is a convicted felon and prohibited from possessing a firearm.

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 Enfield Police Department, the Halifax County Sheriff’s Office, the Gaston Police Department, and the ATF investigated the case and Assistant U.S. Attorney Phil Aubart 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. 4:23-CR-55-D-RN.

RALEIGH, N.C. – Two New York men were sentenced for fraud they committed against major retailers while living in Raleigh.  Kavon Kerrick Robinson, 25, was sentenced to 42 months in prison, and Christopher Anthony Hilaire, 27, was sentenced to 16 months in prison for their respective roles in the crime.  Both men were also ordered to pay $32,736.74, in restitution.  In July 2024, Robinson pled guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud and aggravated identity theft, and Hilaire pled guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud.

“Retail return frauds, including double-dipping schemes like this one, cost retailers billions of dollars in losses every year,” said U.S. Attorney Michael F. Easley, Jr. “These schemes drive prices higher for the rest of us and harm everyday consumers whose credit card information is stolen to facilitate the scheme. We are proud to partner with the NC Retail Merchants Association to raise awareness of these scams and bring them to a stop.”

“Schemes such as retail return fraud are just one example of organized retail crime in North Carolina. North Carolina’s retailers are appreciative of U.S. Attorney Easley’s commitment to fighting organized retail crime in Eastern North Carolina and his willingness to take an aggressive stance against well-organized professional theft networks that prey on North Carolina businesses,” said Andy Ellen, president and general counsel of the North Carolina Retail Merchants Association. “Organized retail crime is not only a crime against property, but a crime against people, often tied to other serious crimes such as opioids, identity theft, and human trafficking. It is very important that offenders be prosecuted to the fullest extent of North Carolina’s law for the good of the economy and the safety of our communities.”

According to court documents and other information presented in court, Robinson and Hilaire lived together in Raleigh from April 2022 until November 2022.  During this time, Robinson would purchase stolen credit card information from the dark web using cryptocurrency.  Robinson, Hilaire, and others would use that stolen information to make online purchases from a variety of major retailers (including Lowe’s Home Improvement, Home Depot, Michaels, and Walmart), restaurants, and gas stations.  For items purchased from major retailers, Robinson would focus on certain items he knew he could resell.  For example, Robinson purchased a large number of Google Nest thermostats from Lowe’s Home Improvement because he had a buyer for those items.  Sometimes, Robinson would travel to New York to sell the items.  In other instances, he would return the items to obtain a cash refund.  In addition to assisting Robinson and obtaining goods for his own use, Hilaire would provide instructions to others regarding how to execute similar schemes.

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 Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated the cases and Assistant U.S. Attorney Brad DeVoe prosecuted the cases.

Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case Nos. 5:23-CR-22 and 5:24-CR-46.

WILMINGTON, N.C. – Desmond Antonio Hines, also known as “Head,” has been sentenced to 196 months after the 35-year-old was found guilty by a federal jury for illegal possession of a firearm, which ballistics showed was used in a shooting two months earlier.  Hines was sentenced for gun and drug charges and considered a career offender based on prior convictions for drug trafficking and assault, including a prior federal drug conviction.

“Neighbors called 911 when they saw Hines ditch his loaded Glock .40 in a patch of the azaleas as he tried to dodge police.  Ballistics traced the gun to a recent shootout that left a popular area rapper dead,” said U.S. Attorney Michael F. Easley, Jr.  “A celebration of life for the rapper was shot up weeks later, leaving two men, a teen, and a 6-year-old boy shot.  Hines was just a small part the escalating patterns of crime and violence claiming far too many lives.  But neighbors have had enough.  And when neighbors start talking, the shooting starts stopping.”

According to court records and evidence presented in court, on November 7, 2020, Wilmington Police stopped Hines for traffic violations. Upon approaching the car, the officer noticed an odor of marijuana and asked Hines to step out of the vehicle to conduct a search. A blunt and marijuana were found in the car and, during the search of Hines, the officer felt what he believed to be a metal object between the defendant’s legs. While the officer attempted to secure Hines in handcuffs, he tried to flee but was tackled by the officer. A subsequent search of Hines conducted at the police station uncovered a bag containing ten oxycodone pills and about 17 grams of crack cocaine. 

On March 31, 2022, detectives attempted to arrest Hines on federal charges related to the November 7 incident. Officers surveilled him driving a new Chrysler minivan. During surveillance, officers lost sight of Hines after he made a series of evasive maneuvers. After officers located Hines and placed him into custody, 911 dispatch reported a call from area residents who saw a man matching Hines’ description and driving a minivan stop the vehicle, walk to a patch of azalea bushes, and toss something into the bushes before driving off. Upon pulling back the bushes, witnesses saw a firearm. When police responded to the scene, which was approximately half a mile from where Hines was arrested, they recovered a semi-automatic Glock 27 Gen 4 .40 caliber handgun with an extended magazine containing 20 live rounds of ammunition. Ten of those rounds were a distinctive, red-tipped round known as Hornady Critical Defense.  When executing a search warrant at the defendant’s residence, detectives found a box of the same ammunition, with ten rounds missing. Later, testing of the firearm confirmed that Hines’ DNA was present.  Ballistics traced the gun to the scene of a shootout two months earlier that left a man dead.

Michael F. Easley, Jr., U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after sentencing by Chief U.S. District Judge Richard E. Myers II. The Wilmington Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case and U.S. Attorney Michael Easley and Assistant U.S. Attorney Erin Blondel prosecuted the case.

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

Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No.7:22-cr-36-M.

United States Attorney Michael F. Easley, Jr., announced today that the Justice Department will monitor compliance with federal voting rights laws in Wake County for the Nov. 5 general election.

The Justice Department enforces federal voting rights laws that protect the rights of all eligible citizens to access the ballot. The department regularly deploys its staff to monitor for compliance with federal civil rights laws in elections in communities all across the country.

The Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division will coordinate the effort. Monitors will include Justice Department personnel, who will contact state and local election officials as needed throughout Election Day.

The Civil Rights Division’s Voting Section enforces the civil provisions of federal statutes that protect the right to vote, including the Voting Rights Act, National Voter Registration Act, Help America Vote Act, Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act and Civil Rights Acts. The division’s Disability Rights Section enforces the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) to ensure that persons with disabilities have a full and equal opportunity to vote. The division’s Criminal Section enforces federal criminal statutes that prohibit voter intimidation and voter suppression based on race, color, national origin or religion.

On Election Day, Civil Rights Division personnel will be available all day to receive questions and complaints from the public related to possible violations of federal voting rights laws. Reports may be made through the department’s website www.civilrights.justice.gov or by calling toll-free at 800-253-3931. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of North Carolina will also be available to receive complaints on Election Day at 919-856-4808 or Karen.Haughton@usdoj.gov.

Individuals with questions or complaints related to the ADA may call the department’s toll-free ADA information hotline at 800-514-0301 or 833-610-1264 (TTY) or submit a complaint through a link on the department’s ADA website at www.ada.gov.

Complaints related to any disruptions at a polling place should always be reported to local election officials (including officials based in the polling place). Complaints related to violence, threats of violence or intimidation at a polling place should be reported immediately to local police authorities by calling 911. These complaints should also be reported to the department after local authorities have been contacted.

More information about voting and elections, including guidance documents and other resources, is available at www.justice.gov/voting. Learn more about the Voting Rights Act and other federal voting laws at www.justice.gov/crt/voting-section.

Complaints about possible violations of the federal voting rights laws can be made directly to the Civil Rights Division in Washington, DC by complaint form at https://civilrights.justice.gov/ or by phone at 800-253-3931.

RALEIGH, N.C. – United States Attorney Michael F. Easley, Jr., announced today that Assistant United States Attorney (AUSA) Karen Haughton will lead the efforts of his office in connection with the Justice Department’s nationwide Election Day Program for the upcoming November 5, 2024, general election.  AUSA Haughton has been appointed to serve as the District Election Officer (DEO) for the Eastern District of North Carolina, and in that capacity is responsible for overseeing the district’s handling of election day complaints of voting rights concerns, threats of violence to election officials or staff, and election fraud, in consultation with the Justice Department in Washington.

The Department of Justice has an important role in deterring and combating discrimination and intimidation at the polls, threats of violence directed at election officials and poll workers, and election fraud. The Department will address these violations wherever they occur. The Department’s longstanding Election Day Program furthers these goals and seeks to ensure public confidence in the electoral process by providing local points of contact within the Department for the public to report possible federal election law violations.

Federal law protects against such crimes as threatening violence against election officials or staff, intimidating or bribing voters, buying, and selling votes, impersonating voters, altering vote tallies, stuffing ballot boxes, and marking ballots for voters against their wishes or without their input. It also contains special protections for the rights of voters and provides that they can vote free from interference, including intimidation and other acts designed to prevent or discourage people from voting or voting for the candidate of their choice. The Voting Rights Act protects the right of voters to mark their own ballot or to be assisted by a person of their choice (where voters need assistance because of disability or inability to read or write in English).

In order to respond to complaints of voting rights concerns and election fraud during the upcoming election, and to ensure that such complaints are directed to the appropriate authorities, the DEO will be on duty in this district while the polls are open. The DEO can be reached by the public at the following telephone number, 919-856-4530 or 919-856-4808, or by email at Karen.Haughton@usdoj.gov.

In addition, the FBI will have special agents available in each field office and resident agency throughout the country to receive allegations of election fraud and other election abuses on election day. The local FBI field office can be reached by the public by calling 704-672-6100 or 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324) or by email at tips.fbi.gov.

Complaints about possible violations of the federal voting rights laws can be made directly to the Civil Rights Division in Washington by complaint form at https://civilrights.justice.gov/ or by phone at 800-253-3931.

Please note, however, that in the case of a crime of violence or intimidation, please call 911 immediately and before contacting federal authorities. State and local police have primary jurisdiction over polling places, and almost always have faster reaction capacity in an emergency. 

RALEIGH, N.C. – D’Angelo Taborn, of Durham, was sentenced today to 27 years in prison for sex trafficking by force, fraud, or coercion. Following an FBI sting operation in Jacksonville, NC, Taborn and his co-defendant, Imani Franco, were arrested for using threats to coerce women into sex trafficking. Taborn, 31, pled guilty to the charge on July 24, 2024. Franco, 30, pled guilty on April 25, 2024, and was sentenced on September 23, 2024, to 12 years.

“Our Human Trafficking Task Force brings agencies together to expose traffickers, rescue victims, and dismantle the illicit networks that traffic in human beings for sex or labor,” said U.S. Attorney Michael F. Easley, Jr. “These defendants treated their victims like animals, deprived them of food, and threatened them with violence if they did not comply.  Thankfully the FBI, NCIS, and local law enforcement acted swiftly, to hold the traffickers accountable and help put the survivors on their path of healing.”

“It is difficult to hear these victims literally felt “caged” by these offenders. To be forced into sex trafficking, to have to ask for food, those are deplorable conditions for any human being to endure,” said Robert M. DeWitt the FBI Special Agent in Charge in North Carolina. “The FBI and our local law enforcement partners will never stop working to combat human trafficking.”

According to court documents and other information presented in court, on August 12, 2022, the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Human Trafficking Task Force conducted a proactive sting operation in Jacksonville, based on online advertisements for commercial sex. An undercover officer responded to an advertisement and was directed to a hotel in Jacksonville. The undercover officer encountered a young female depicted in the advertisement, later identified as Victim 1.

A short time later, law enforcement observed the defendants step out of a hotel room just down the hall. When they saw law enforcement, Taborn and Franco attempted to leave, but they were detained while officers obtained search warrants for their hotel room and vehicle.  Taborn and Franco carried three phones between them, and when officers called the number listed in the commercial sex advertisement for Victim 1, one of the phones rang.

When Taborn and Franco were arrested, Victim 1 became visibly relieved. She explained that Taborn and Franco had recruited her a month earlier and that they expected her to engage in commercial sex to make money for them. Taborn required Victim 1 to perform oral sex on him twice to ensure she was a “good product.”  Taborn and Franco controlled all aspects of the commercial sex operation and took all the money that Victim 1 earned.  They transported Victim 1 to different cities—Jacksonville, Charlotte, Durham, and Danville, Virginia—to find additional customers for commercial sex.  Investigators located numerous commercial sex advertisements and obtained hotel receipts and surveillance footage that confirmed Victim 1’s account.

Victim 1 described how she feared Taborn and felt “like an animal in a cage.”  She was not allowed to leave her room and had to request food and water from Taborn and Franco. When officers recovered her, it had been more than 24 hours since she had last eaten—a meal that consisted of four leftover chicken wings from Taborn’s and Franco’s dinner.  On one occasion, Victim 1 witnessed Taborn and Franco recruit another female victim, Victim 2, who they picked up in South Carolina and transported back to North Carolina.  Victim 2 had not known they wanted her to engage in commercial sex in North Carolina. When Victim 2 said she did not want to participate, Taborn threatened her with his black handgun in front of Victim 1.  Officers found a firearm with an extended magazine and laser matching the description in the glovebox of Taborn’s car.

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 Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) undertook this investigation as part of “Operation Cross Country,” a nationwide sex-trafficking enforcement campaign, with assistance from the Onslow County Sheriff’s Office, the New Hanover County Sheriff’s Office, the Jacksonville Police Department, and the Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS).  Assistant U.S. Attorney Jake D. Pugh prosecuted the case.

This case was part of our Human Trafficking Task Force created to expose and prosecute anyone who exploits North Carolinians for sex or forced labor. Our victim-centric approach focuses on stabilizing victims, getting them resources, and helping them through the court process.  If you have a tip about trafficking, text 233733.

Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 7:23-cr-0092-D.

WILMINGTON, N.C. – A Smithfield man was sentenced to 300 months in prison, followed by 25 years of supervised release, for sex trafficking by force, fraud or coercion. On July 23, 2024, Jarel Antonio Rayford, age 29, pled guilty to the charge.

According to court documents and other information presented in court, Rayford prostituted a 17-year-old minor over the course of several months in 2021. He also took multiple sexually explicit images of her and posted them in online advertisements to sell her in prostitution. Rayford knew the victim was just seventeen and was also in a very vulnerable position, which he took advantage of to continue trafficking her. Additionally, Rayford used physical and emotional abuse to control the minor victim.

“We have launched two Human Trafficking Task Forces to expose and prosecute anyone who exploits North Carolina’s kids for sex or forced labor,” said U.S. Attorney Michael F. Easley, Jr.  “Our victim-centric approach focuses on stabilizing victims, getting them resources, and helping them through the court process. If you have a tip about trafficking, text 233733 today.”

Michael F. Easley, Jr., U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after sentencing by Chief U.S. District Judge Richard E. Myers II. The Raleigh Police Department and the Department of Homeland Security – Homeland Security Investigations investigated the cases, and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Erin Blondel and Casey L. Peaden prosecuted the case.

Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:24-CR-00021-M.

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WILMINGTON, N.C. – The fifth of five defendants charged with targeting an energy facility has been sentenced. The combined sentences total 324 months in prison. Jordan Duncan, 29, was sentenced to 84 months in prison for manufacturing a short barrel rifle in violation of the National Firearms Act.  Previously, co-defendant Liam Collins, 25, was sentenced to 120 months for interstate transportation of a short barrel rifle, Paul James Kryscuk, 38, was sentenced to 78 months for conspiracy to damage an energy facility, and both Joseph Maurino, 25, and Justin Wade Hermanson, 25, were sentenced to 21 months in prison for conspiracy to manufacture firearms for criminal purposes. Duncan, Collins, and Hermanson are former Marines who were previously assigned to Camp Lejeune.

“We have now brought to justice all five of the defendants involved in a self-described ‘modern day SS,’ who conspired, prepared, and trained to attack America’s power grid in the name of violent white supremacist ideology,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “The Justice Department is aggressively investigating, disrupting, and prosecuting these kinds of hate-fueled plots that seek to sow violence and chaos and endanger our national security.”

“Attacks on our critical infrastructure pose a threat to all Americans,” said U.S. Attorney Michael F. Easley, Jr. “We will relentlessly pursue anyone who seeks to destabilize our national security and institutions through hate-fueled violence.”

“This NCIS-led investigation has been crucial in dismantling a domestic terrorist cell intent on targeting innocent people and destroying critical infrastructure,” said NCIS Director Omar Lopez. “The tireless efforts of NCIS, our dedicated law enforcement partners, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office demonstrate our commitment to ensuring that those who conspire to undermine our national security are thoroughly investigated and held accountable.”

“There is no place for hate in America,” said Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro N. Mayorkas. “The Department of Homeland Security is proud to support the whole-of-government, and in fact whole-of-society, effort to disrupt acts of hate-fueled violence and bring the perpetrators to justice. Every single day, Special Agents of Homeland Security Investigations bring tremendous dedication, bravery, and skill to this vital mission, and our whole country is safer for their service — because whenever one community is targeted by an act of hate, we are all the victims.”

“Today’s sentencing is the final step in holding accountable five men who were planning to attack an energy facility and were inspired by racially motivated violent extremism,” said FBI Director Christopher Wray. “If the defendants had been able to carry out an attack it could have caused suffering to thousands of American citizens. The FBI is committed to detecting and stopping such acts and will continue to work with prosecutors to see justice is served in such cases.”

“Driven by a white supremacist ideology, these defendants set out to terrorize the nation by targeting America’s power grid, aiming to create chaos, instill fear, and put countless innocent lives at risk,” said Director Steven Dettelbach of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). “The sentences handed down reflect not only the depravity of their intentions but also ATF’s steadfast commitment—alongside our law enforcement partners—to protect our nation from extremist threats and violent attacks, regardless of the motives behind them.”

“HSI, along with its law enforcement partners, keep the safety and security of the American public at the forefront of our actions,” said Executive Associate Director Katrina W. Berger of Homeland Security Investigations. “This case sends a clear message to those who wrongfully believe they can plot in the shadows undetected; they will be caught and there will be consequences.”

Previously filed charges alleged that Collins and Kryscuk were members of and made multiple posts on the “Iron March” forum, a gathering point for young neo-Nazis to organize and recruit for extremist organizations, until the forum was closed in late 2017. Collins and Kryscuk met through the forum and expanded their group using an encrypted messaging application as an alternate means of communication outside of the forum.  Collins and Kryscuk recruited additional members, including Duncan, Hermanson, and Maurino.

According to court documents and other information presented in court, the group researched, discussed, and reviewed at length a previous attack on the power grid by an unknown group who used assault-style rifles in an attempt to explode a power substation. Between 2017 and 2020, Kryscuk manufactured firearms while Collins stole military gear, including magazines for assault-style rifles, and had them delivered to the other defendants.  During that time, Duncan, gathered a library of information, some military-owned, regarding firearms, explosives, and nerve toxins and shared that information with Kryscuk and Collins.  Members of the group went on to conduct training, including a live-fire training in the desert near Boise, Idaho.  From video footage recorded by the members during the training, Kryscuk, Duncan, and others produced a montage video of their training.  In the video, the participants are seen firing short barrel rifles and other assault-type rifles, and the end of the propaganda video shows the four participants outfitted in AtomWaffen masks giving the “Heil Hitler” sign, beneath the image of a black sun, a Nazi symbol.  The last frame bears the phrase, “Come home white man.”

In October 2020, during his arrest, a handwritten list of approximately one dozen intersections and places in Idaho and surrounding states was discovered in Kryscuk’s possession, including intersections and/or places containing a transformer, substation, or other component of the power grid for the northwest United States. Prior to their arrests, Collins and Duncan had relocated to Idaho from North Carolina and Texas, respectively, to be near Kryscuk.

Michael F. Easley, Jr., U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, made the announcement. The Naval Criminal Investigative Service, the FBI Salt Lake City and Charlotte Field Offices with assistance from Fields Offices in Boston, New York, and Newark, the Boise Police Department, the United States Postal Inspection Service, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives investigated the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Barbara Kocher and Gabriel Diaz of the Eastern District of North Carolina and Trial Attorney John Cella of the Justice Department’s National Security Division prosecuted the case, with assistance from Assistant United States Attorneys for the District of Idaho, District of New Jersey, Eastern District of New York, and the District of Rhode Island.

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-167-M.

WILMINGTON, N.C. –  Roy Cox, 37, of Jacksonville, North Carolina, was sentenced to 10 years in prison and five years of supervised release for three counts of distribution of crack cocaine, one count of possession with intent to distribute a quantity of cocaine, and one count of failure to register as a sex offender.  On March 27, 2024, and June 27, 2024, Cox pled guilty to the drug charges and failure to register as a sex offender, respectively.

According to court documents and other information presented in court, the Onslow County Sheriff’s Office received information that Cox was selling large quantities of cocaine in the Jacksonville area.  They further received information that Cox was involved in the transportation of controlled substances from Florida to the Eastern District of North Carolina.  During May 2023, law enforcement made three controlled purchases of crack cocaine from Cox in Jacksonville.  In June 2023, law enforcement received information that Cox was traveling from Florida back to Jacksonville.  On June 4, 2023, law enforcement arrested Cox when he arrived at his residence.  Law enforcement found a bag that contained 470 grams of cocaine in the car in which he was a passenger.

Cox has a prior conviction for a sex offense in Florida that required him to register as a sex offender.  Cox left the state of Florida to live in North Carolina without registering as a sex offender in North Carolina.  Cox had lived in North Carolina for more than a year at the time of his arrest.  The United States Marshal Service (USMS) had been independently investigating him for this at the time of his arrest in this case.

Michael F. Easley, Jr., U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after sentencing by Chief U.S. District Judge Richard E. Myers II. The Federal Bureau of Investigation, USMS, the Jacksonville Police Department and the Onslow County Sheriff's Office 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. 7:23-CR-113.

RALEIGH, N.C. – Grotez Simpson of New York City, New York, age 25, was sentenced to three years followed by three years of supervised release, for conveying false information concerning an alleged attempted attack on a mass transportation vehicle. On May 25 and May 26, 2022, Simpson sent fake bomb threats to Amtrak concerning its daily train from Miami to New York City.

“Hoaxes are no joke,” said U.S Attorney Michael F. Easley, Jr. “Bomb threats on mass transit get real prison time. This three-year prison sentence sends a strong message that we will not normalize threats of mass violence in this country.”

According to court documents and information presented in court, Simpson boarded the 92 Silver Start in Fort Lauderdale, Florida on its way to New York City. During the trip, Simpson repeatedly texted Amtrak’s “Txt-a-Tip” phone application. In those text messages, Simpson claimed on multiple occasions there was a bomb on-board the train located in another passenger’s luggage. While pleading with Amtrak to stop the train, Simpson stated he was a military veteran and knew what a bomb looked like.

Based on those repeated tips, the Amtrak Police Department and the Orange County Sheriff's Office in Orange County, Florida, stopped the train just outside of Orlando, Florida. They had the approximately 225 passengers, including Simpson, deboard the train. During the next roughly five hours, law enforcement swept the train and did not find any explosive devices. After the delay, the passengers reboarded the train and continued their journey to New York. The next morning, Simpson made further claims that there was a bomb on board the train. As the train continued to its destination, Special Agents with the Amtrak Office of Inspector General determined that the threats had come from Simpson. When the train reached Raleigh, FBI agents took Simpson into custody.

Michael F. Easley, Jr., U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after U.S. District Judge James C. Dever III sentenced the defendant. The case was investigated by the FBI, Amtrak OIG, and the Amtrak Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Logan Liles 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. 5:24-CR-127-D.

RALEIGH, N.C. – A Fayetteville, North Carolina man, Darrell Alan Thompson, age 35, was sentenced today to 15 years and five years of supervised release for conspiracy to commit bank fraud and possession of firearm by felon.  The defendant was also ordered to pay restitution to the impacted financial institutions.

According to court documents and other information presented in court, the United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) and the Raleigh Police Department (RPD) initiated the investigation after receiving a large number of mail theft and check fraud reports in Wake County, North Carolina.  It was discovered that a Postal Service “arrow key” was being unlawfully used to access and steal mail from official collection boxes located outside of government post offices throughout Wake County. The theft activity targeted checks that had been placed in the mail by postal customers.  Thereafter, the subjects altered the checks by changing the payee information, deposited the checks into bank accounts, and withdrew the proceeds at local ATMs.

Thompson was identified on surveillance footage opening and stealing the contents of postal collection boxes between November 2022 and January 2023.  Officers eventually tracked Thompson to the North Ridge Post Office parking lot in Raleigh and arrested him on the scene.  A search of Thompson’s vehicle recovered, among other things, a 9mm pistol and a backpack containing multiple ammo magazines, approximately 180 stolen checks, and approximately 450 stolen AMEX gift cards.  At the time the firearm was recovered, Thompson was a convicted felon. 

Michael F. Easley, Jr., U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after sentencing by Chief United States District Judge Richard E. Myers II.  The USPIS and the RPD 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. 5:24-CR-42-M-RN.