Eastern District of North Carolina
Press releases recorded for this federal judicial district.
Four Additional Defendants in North Carolina Plead Guilty to National COVID-19 Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
RALEIGH, N.C. – Denise Coit Alston, 69; Monica Faye Barnes, 51; Terron Cortez Parker, 37; and Kami D. Woodard, 37; each pleaded guilty earlier this week to conspiracy to commit wire fraud for fraudulently obtaining Paycheck Protection Act (“PPP”) COVID-19 loans. The defendants requested relief for various companies they owned including companies listed as being engaged in catering, trucking and real estate. They all face up to 20 years in prison.
“These defendants, along with the broader network of co-conspirators, took taxpayer money meant to help struggling small businesses during a global pandemic,” said U.S. Attorney Michael Easley. “We are investigating and prosecuting those who steal from public programs intended to keep legitimate businesses afloat.”
According to the filed charges and information summarized in court, the defendants conspired with Edward Whitaker, Schunda Coleman, and others to obtain fraudulent PPP loans on behalf of their businesses. Whitaker and Coleman pled guilty on January 19, 2023 for their role in operating a nation-wide scheme to help people across the country commit millions of dollars of PPP fraud from their home in Texas.
Whitaker and Coleman created fraudulent supporting documents and applications for each PPP loan in exchange for 25% of the total loan proceeds. The fraudulent applications falsified the number of employees and gross wages being paid prior to the COVID-19 pandemic by backdating fraudulent IRS Forms 940 and 941, in order to help qualify for the PPP loans. Following the disbursement of the PPP loans, Whitaker gave each defendant, via text messages subsequently obtained by law enforcement, detailed instructions as to how to make it appear that the PPP loans were being paid out to employees. In reality, most or all of the money was transferred back to the defendants. The fraudulent payroll records were then submitted to the Small Business Administration (SBA) to obtain 100% loan forgiveness.
Late last year, Quentin Jackson pled guilty in the same conspiracy which included the recruitment of numerous individuals within the Eastern District of North Carolina to use Whitaker and Coleman to obtain fraudulent PPP funds.
“The Paycheck Protection Program was designed to help small businesses facing financial difficulties during the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Donald “Trey” Eakins, Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Criminal Investigation Special Agent in Charge in the Charlotte Field Office. “Through our partnership with the U.S. Attorney’s Office and our federal law enforcement partners, IRS Criminal Investigation Special Agents will continue to aggressively pursue individuals who try to exploit federal relief programs for their personal gain.”
The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act was designed to provide emergency financial assistance to the millions of Americans who were economically suffering from the COVID-19 pandemic. The CARES Act and additional appropriations authorized up to $649 billion in forgivable loans to small businesses through the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). Financial institutions issued the PPP loans, which were guaranteed by the SBA.
Michael Easley, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, made the announcement after United States Magistrate Judge Robert T. Numbers II accepted the pleas. Sentencings will occur before United States District Judge James C. Dever III later this year. Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Criminal Investigation is leading the investigation, and Assistant U.S. Attorney David G. Beraka is prosecuting the case.
Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:23-CR-00027-D.
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Mebane Man Pleads Guilty to Multi-Million Dollar Commercial Leasing Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
RALEIGH, N.C. – A Mebane man pleaded guilty yesterday for his role in a $20 million dollar leasing fraud scheme. Dan Raymond, an owner and operator of multiple computer equipment and small business financial consulting companies had a role brokering fraudulent lease deals valued at more than $20 million dollars with 25 victim financers. Raymond pled guilty to conspiracy to commit mail fraud and wire fraud and faces up to 20 years in prison when sentenced later this year.
“Federal law enforcement specializes in unraveling complex financial frauds like this one, where a computer equipment supplier bilked financiers for millions in a scheme that lasted years,” said U.S. Attorney Michael Easley. “The Research Triangle is a hub for tech and innovation. We are ramping up white collar fraud enforcement to ensure fraudsters who take advantage of our booming tech sector are held accountable.”
According to court documents and information presented in court, from March 2016 to January 2022, while he was living in Cary, Raymond executed a scheme to defraud financing companies in connection with computer equipment lease deals. The targets of Raymond’s scheme were financing companies who offered small to medium-sized businesses (“customers”) financing and secured leases for computer servers and other computer equipment. Under these leasing programs, financers paid for and took title to the equipment and then in turn leased it to the customers for a fixed term. Financers entered into agreements with brokers who, for a fee, could bring potential equipment leasing opportunities to the financers for evaluation and approval. As a third-party independent financing source, financers did not manufacture or supply the computer equipment. Instead, the brokers, like Raymond, arranged for the purchase and delivery of the equipment to the customers, who then leased that equipment from the financers.
Raymond targeted financially-distressed small business customers throughout the country and offered them leases for computer equipment. Typically, the customers Raymond targeted were seeking a cash infusion for operating expenses and had no immediate needs for computer equipment. Nonetheless, Raymond enticed customers by offering lease deals that included large cash rebates and long-term payback options. Raymond falsely assured customers that this was a common and legitimate practice, and that they could always sell the computer equipment if they chose to. The cash rebates and payback options offered by Raymond were not known to or approved by the financers.
Raymond executed the lease agreements with the customers and then submitted the leases and invoices to a financer. If approved, the financer paid Raymond a lump sum payment which was intended to represent the cost of the computer equipment to be supplied by Raymond, plus a small fee to be retained by Raymond as profit. After the leases were signed and approved by the financer, Raymond instructed the customers to falsify documents representing that the computer equipment was delivered, installed and working properly at their business locations when, in fact, no equipment had been delivered or installed. These false declarations enabled Raymond to be paid by the financer. After Raymond obtained payment from the financers, he wired the cash rebates to the customers from his business checking account. Raymond sometimes did ship computer equipment to the customers. However, whereas the leases called for name brand computer servers and hardware valued between $30,000 - $100,000, Raymond sent generic computer parts valued at $50 - $3,500.
Raymond’s was affiliated with businesses, including Integrity IT Solutions, Inc. (“IITS”), Logos Consulting, LLC (“Logos”), Lendberry Corp. (“Lendberry”), US Server Supply (“USSS”), Online Concepts Inc. (“OC”), Referral Marketing Services (“RMS”), Sandriver Group, Inc. (“Sandriver”), Business Repair Consultants (“BRC”), and Buyback Funders, LLC (“Buyback”).
Michael Easley, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after United States District Judge Terrence W. Boyle accepted the plea. The Federal Bureau of Investigation is investigating the case and 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. 5:23-CR-96-BO.
Convicted Child Rapist Sentenced for Naturalization Fraud and Judicially DenaturalizedRead the Press Release
RALEIGH, N.C. – Yesterday in federal court, Cruz Miguel Aguina, 40, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Terrence W. Boyle to eight months in prison following a guilty plea to immigration fraud. Moreover, Aguina was judicially denaturalized as a U.S. citizen.
According to court records, on July 3, 2019, Aguina fraudulently obtained U.S. citizenship by making materially false statements under oath regarding his naturalization application. In response to the question “Were you EVER involved in any way with any of the following:…Forcing, or trying to force, someone to have any kind of sexual contact or relations?” he answered “No.” Also, in response to the question “Have you ever committed, assisted in committing, or attempted to commit, a crime or offense for which you were not arrested?” he answered “No.”
On June 16, 2022, in the Superior Court of North Carolina in Johnston County, Aguina was convicted of statutory rape of a child. He was sentenced to a term of imprisonment of between 240 and 348 months and ordered to register as a sex offender. According to the transcript of plea and judgment issued by the court, Aguina confessed to having committed the crime from January 1, 2019, through December 30, 2019. Therefore, the offense was ongoing at the time he made the false statements for his naturalization application.
Michael Easley, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement. Agents with ICE’s Enforcement and Removal Operations and Homeland Security Investigations, assigned to the Document Benefit Fraud Task Force, investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sebastian Kielmanovich prosecuted the case.
Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:22-cr-253-1BO-RJ.
Convicted Child Molester Sentenced for Attempted Naturalization FraudRead the Press Release
RALEIGH, N.C. – Armando Marinero-Garcia, age 49, a permanent resident of the United States, born in Mexico and residing in Johnston County, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Terrence W. Boyle to five months in prison following a guilty plea to attempted naturalization fraud.
According to court records, on June 1, 2018, Marinero attempted to fraudulently obtain U.S. citizenship by making materially false statements under penalty of perjury regarding his naturalization application. In response to the question “Were you EVER involved in any way with any of the following:…Forcing, or trying to force, someone to have any kind of sexual contact or relations?” he answered “No.” Also, in response to the question “Have you EVER committed, assisted in committing, or attempted to commit, a crime or offense for which you were NOT arrested?” he answered “No.”
On June 14, 2022, in the Superior Court of North Carolina in Wake County, Marinero was convicted of four counts of indecent liberties with a child and one count of crime against nature. He was sentenced to a combined term of imprisonment of 100 months and ordered to register as a sex offender. According to the transcript of plea and judgments issued by the court, Marinero committed the crimes on August 1, 2016. Therefore, the statements he made on his naturalization application were false.
Michael Easley, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement. Agents with ICE’s Enforcement and Removal Operations and Homeland Security Investigations, assigned to the Document Benefit Fraud Task Force, investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sebastian Kielmanovich prosecuted the case.
Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:22-cr-252-1BO-RN.
Fort Bragg Soldier with Apparent Plot to Remove Racial Minorities from Eastern North Carolina Pleads Guilty to Possessing an Illegal Short Barrel RifleRead the Press Release
WILMINGTON, N.C. – A Fort Bragg soldier, Noah Edwin Anthony, 23, who had evidence of a preliminary self-titled “operation,” found on his electronic devices, with the goal “to physically remove as many of [black and brown people] from Hoke, Cumberland, Robeson and Scotland Counties by whatever means need be,” pleaded guilty yesterday to possessing an unregistered short-barrel rifle. Anthony faces up to ten years in prison when sentenced later this year.
According to court documents and information provided in court, Anthony attempted to enter Fort Bragg on March 3, 2022, as gate officers were conducting random vehicle inspections. The gate officer asked Anthony to step out of the vehicle and immediately located a loaded handgun in the center console. This handgun was later identified as a “Glock Like” 9mm privately made handgun, commonly called a Ghost Gun, with no serial number. Anthony was asked if the handgun was registered, and Anthony answered he didn’t have any paperwork for it. Military Police arrived and located two extended magazines, ammunition, as well as an American flag with a Swastika, instead of blue field and stars, and other Nazi type patches.
Further search of Anthony’s room on Fort Bragg resulted in disclosure of a 3D printed, FGC-9 rifle with no serial number, a lower receiver, magazines for various firearms, white supremacist literature, t-shirts and patches, as well as several electronic devices.
The FGC-9 firearm was submitted to the ATF Firearms Laboratory who confirmed that it was a short barrel rifle less than 16 inches in violation of the National Firearms Act (NFA). Additionally, the FGC-9 lacked manufacturer’s marks of identification or serial number and thus had not been registered as required under the NFA. Anthony pleaded guilty to possessing a firearm not registered in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record.
Michael Easley, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after Chief U.S. District Judge Richard E. Myers II accepted the plea. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Army Criminal Investigation Division (CID), and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) are investigating the case and Assistant U.S. Attorney Gabriel J. Diaz is prosecuting the case.
Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:22-CR-217-M.
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Fayetteville Career Criminal Who Shot Pawn Shop Owner Convicted by a Federal JuryRead the Press Release
RALEIGH, N.C. – A federal jury convicted Mario Whitted, 28, today on charges arising from his shooting of a Fayetteville pawn shop owner as he closed up for the night on November 30, 2019. The owner, who survived the attack, was struck twice in the leg and returned fire with his own handgun. Whitted fled the scene and flagged down a Good Samaritan who offered to take him to a local Emergency Room. Whitted instead insisted that he be taken home. He was later apprehended in South Carolina after having a bullet extracted from his foot which ballistics examiners matched to the victim’s gun. DNA evidence also linked Whitted to the scene after he bled in the Good Samaritan’s car. Whitted was found guilty of being a felon in possession of ammunition, deemed an armed career criminal, and now faces 15 years to life in prison when he is sentenced later this year. Whitted has three prior state convictions for common law robbery.
“Today’s verdict puts a career criminal behind bars and makes the Fayetteville community safer,” said U.S. Attorney Michael Easley. “Our office will continue to partner with law enforcement to investigate and prosecute those driving gun violence around our homes and businesses.”
Michael Easley, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after U.S. District Judge James C. Dever III accepted the verdict. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Fayetteville Police Department, and the Cumberland and Robeson County Sheriffs’ Offices investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Chad Rhoades and Phil Aubart prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on our website. Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No.5:20-CR-353-D.
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U.S. Attorney’s Office Observes National Crime Victims’ Rights Week, April 23-29, 2023Read the Press Release
RALEIGH, N.C – In commemoration of National Crime Victims’ Rights Week (NCVRW), the U.S. Attorney’s Offices of the Eastern and Middle Districts of North Carolina along with the Interagency Council of North Carolina (IAC) will be hosting a ceremony to bring the victim assistance community together to raise public awareness about victims’ rights, protections, and services. The public may attend the ceremony virtually on Tuesday, April 25, 2023 at 11:00 a.m.
The IAC works to assemble advocates that have the common goal of improving individual and systematic services to all victims of crime and their loved ones. The Council holds regular meetings and co-hosts the annual ceremony during NCVRW. The keynote speaker for the ceremony will be Monica Daye, a survivor whose story inspired the founding of her nonprofit, Stand Up Speak Out North Carolina. Governor Roy Cooper will also be making remarks at the ceremony.
“Our office coordinated with local victims’ support advocates to provide services to more than 6,100 victims last year,” said U.S. Attorney Michael Easley. “We work to ensure that victims are supported and that their voices are heard at every step in the process. I encourage all those involved in the criminal justice system to come together, reflect, and learn from the stories of individuals impacted by all types of victimization to make positive change in our communities.”
“Each year, we come together for National Crime Victims’ Week to honor the memories of those who have been lost to violent crimes and to show support for the survivors and surviving family members. It is also an opportunity to show our appreciation to those in law enforcement who pursue justice for the victims,” said U.S. Attorney Sandra Hairston. “The work we do for victims is a top priority for our district. During this week, and throughout the year, we will continue to provide the victims and their families with information about the resources available to them through the federal government.”
"During National Crime Victims’ Rights Week, we recognize victims and survivors, acknowledge their pain and recommit ourselves to fight for them and for justice,” North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper said. "We’re working together to support and improve law enforcement and tackle the roots of violence in our communities through our new Office of Violence Prevention that can help make people safer for generations to come.”
The 2023 theme for NCVRW is Survivor Voices: Elevate. Engage. Effect Change., which calls upon communities to magnify the voices of survivors and pledge to create an atmosphere where survivors know they will be heard, believed, and supported. The theme underscores the importance of helping crime survivors find their justice by:
- elevating survivors’ voices,
- engaging with survivors to better inform policy and practice, and
- effecting change for the better.
The partners involved in the planning of the 2023 NCVRW ceremony work collaboratively to ensure that victims of crime rights are enforced, victims have access to services, and to ensure equity for all during each step of the criminal justice response process.
Anyone interested in attending the ceremony virtually can register at https://usao.webex.com/usao/j.php?MTID=md9b2465452980cb0de7f89c20cd6b689.
For additional information about this year’s NCVRW and how to assist victims in your own community, please visit the United States Attorney’s Office website. For more ideas on how to support victims of crime, visit OVC’s website at www.ovc.ojp.gov.
A Ft. Bragg Officer Pleads Guilty and his Wife, the Executive Officer of the Campbell University ROTC Program, was Convicted in Government Property Theft that Profited More Than $2 MillionRead the Press Release
RALEIGH, N.C. – Two Army Officers, who are also husband and wife, have been convicted in a multi-year activity involving the theft of more than $2 million in government property. Last week, Chief Warrant Officer Three (CW3) Christopher Hammond, 38, pled guilty to theft/possession of government property and money laundering. Yesterday, his wife, Major Heather Hammond, 34, was convicted by a federal jury for spending money laundering proceeds and aiding and abetting. CW3 Hammond faces up to 30 years in prison, plus fines and restitution, and Major Hammond faces up to ten years in prison plus fines, when they are sentenced later this year.
“We are putting a stop to corruption at Ft. Bragg and those who use their official positions to line their own pockets. Mr. Hammond abused his position with the Army to steal and sell government property. He stole military scopes, weapons parts, tools, welding equipment, night vision goggles and ATVs,” said U.S. Attorney Michael Easley. “This gear was meant to support our troops in the fight for freedom, but the Hammonds sold it to retire in style.”
"Christopher and Heather Hammond betrayed the public trust by using their positions in the military for their own personal enrichment," stated Special Agent in Charge Christopher Dillard, Department of Defense Office of Inspector General, Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS), Mid-Atlantic Field Office. "DCIS and our investigative partners will continue to hold those accountable who steal government property for personal use or personal gain and compromise the military's integrity."
“This conviction is the latest result of our ongoing efforts to investigate fraud and theft and should serve as a stark reminder that Army CID will vigorously pursue anyone who attempts to enrich themselves at the expense of the U.S. Government,” said Special Agent-in-Charge Larry S. Moreland, Department of the Army Criminal Investigation Division, Major Procurement Fraud Field Office.
"Our service men and women make sacrifices for our country every day and it undermines their commitment when a fellow soldier steals the property they depend on to stay safe. The FBI and our partners will aggressively investigate these types of crimes to ensure this criminal abuse of power and betrayal does not go unpunished," said Robert M. DeWitt, Special Agent in Charge of the Charlotte Division of the FBI.
According to court documents and other information presented in court, CW3 Hammond used his position to requisition government property intended for his unit at Ft. Bragg. The property was never logged into inventory at the base but was instead sold by Hammond to various individuals. In a two-year period, CW3 Hammond received at least $1.8 million in wire transfers related to the sales, which he deposited into bank accounts controlled by him and his wife. The investigation traced about 200 items sold by CW3 Hammond or held in his home as having been issued to Hammond’s military unit. Major Hammond knowingly allowed use of her bank accounts, even suggesting the use of her accounts so the money would not go into Chief Hammond’s bank account. The fraud was uncovered when a supplier noticed that items procured under a government contract were being sent in for warranty repairs by a private individual.
Michael Easley, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Terrence W. Boyle accepted CW3 Hammond’s plea and the jury verdict related to Major Hammond. Defense Criminal Investigative Services (DCIS), Department of Army Criminal Investigation Division (CID), and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) are investigating the case and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Barbara Kocher and Logan Liles 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-00106-BO.
Six Federal Inmates Indicted for Contraband Cell PhonesRead the Press Release
RALEIGH, N.C. – Six federal inmates housed at the Federal Correctional Complex in Butner, North Carolina (“FCC Butner”) have been charged with possession of contraband cell phones.
According to the indictment, the inmates, Rakeem Baldwin, Antoine Stanfield, Neshawn Howard, Alan Gutierrez, Shafter Manuel, and Ronito Gomez, were housed at three different institutions within the Butner Complex at the time of the offenses: the Federal Medical Center, the Low Security Institution, and the Federal Prison Camp. Each has been charged with one count of possessing a cell phone. Additionally, Antoine Stanfield was charged with a second count of destruction or removal of property to prevent seizure.
If convicted, each inmate faces up to a year of imprisonment for possessing the cell phone, with Stanfield facing an additional statutory maximum of five years for destroying or removing property to prevent its seizure. Additionally, if convicted, the of the charge of possessing a cell phone would also make each inmate ineligible for credit under the First Step Act, which allows federal inmates to earn up to 365 days off of their sentence for participating in eligible programming while incarcerated.
“Contraband cellphones in prison threaten the safety and security of the inmates and the institution as a whole,” said U.S. Attorney Michael Easley. “By indicting these six inmates at FCC Butner, we hope to send a clear message to the inmate population that the possession of cellphones will never be tolerated at FCC Butner.”
Thomas Scarantino, Complex Warden, at FCC Butner stated, “I would like to thank the United States Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina for their continued support in prosecuting these cases. I would also like to thank the legal team and staff at FCC Butner who have assisted with this case. I have zero tolerance for inmates introducing contraband into FCC Butner that puts the safety and security of staff and inmates at risk.”
Federal Bureau of Prisons investigative staff are investigating the cases, and Special Assistant U.S. Attorneys Mallory Brooks Storus and Merrill E. Ward are prosecuting the cases.
An indictment is merely an accusation. The defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty.
Ringleader and Two Associates of Illicit Massage Parlor Operation Sentenced to Combined 6 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
NEW BERN, N.C. – Three women from South Carolina, Virginia, and North Carolina were sentenced today to combined 72 months in prison for their management and involvement in an illicit massage parlor operation between August 2020 and June 2021. The leader of the organization, Ok Hwa Lee, 55, was sentenced to 34 months in prison. Shanyu Song, 50, and Xuejin Bai, 51, were sentenced to 26 and 12 months and 1 day, respectively. Additionally, Lee was ordered to forfeit $151,000; Song $146,000; and Bai $55,000. On November 10, 2022, Lee pled guilty to three counts, including one count of conspiracy and two counts of bribing a public official and Song pled guilty to conspiracy. On December 12, 2022, Bai pled guilty to one count of conspiracy.
According to court documents and other information presented in court, Lee, Song, and Bai were arrested as part of a broad undercover operation for attempting to bribe law enforcement officers to provide protection for their illicit massage parlors where sexual services were being offered in Cary, Durham, and Wilmington, North Carolina. During the investigation, an undercover HSI agent met with Lee, Song, Bai, and other individuals who provided more than $18,000 in bribes to the agent, believing that the bribes would provide protection from unwanted law enforcement inquiries at the various massage parlors. Song was Lee’s main accomplice within the organization and Bai was a part owner of two illicit massage parlors in Wilmington.
On June 16, 2021, HSI, with the assistance of numerous law enforcement agencies, led a coordinated takedown across four different federal districts that included the execution of search warrants at eight different massage parlors, multiple residences, and the arrest of six individuals, including Lee, Song, and Bai. Two other co-defendants, Ming Ji Cao and Ogbun Park, were previously sentenced, and the corresponding press release can be found here.
Michael Easley, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Louise W. Flanagan. The Department of Homeland Security - Homeland Security Investigations led the investigation with assistance from the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Wake County Sheriff’s Office, the Durham County Sheriff’s Office, the Cary Police Department, the New Hanover County Sheriff’s Office, the Wilmington Police Department, the Horry County Police Department, the United States Marshals Service, and other state and local investigators investigated the case and former Assistant U.S. Attorney Erin Blondel and Assistant U.S. Attorney Bryan M. Stephany prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on our website. Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 7:21-cr-00079-FL.
Armed Drug Trafficker Receives 10 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
NEW BERN, N.C. – Cameron Hansen, 39, of Holly Ridge, was sentenced to 120 months in prison for trafficking drugs with a sawed-off shot gun. On January 11, 2023, Hansen pled guilty to possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime and possession with intent to distribute five grams or more of methamphetamine.
According to court documents, evidence presented in court, and other documents, on February 14, 2021, Hansen was stopped by deputies from the Onslow County Sheriff’s Office for a traffic violation while travelling South on Highway 17 in Jacksonville. Hansen stopped his truck in the parking lot of a local business. An Onslow County Sheriff’s K-9 detected the odor of narcotics coming from the truck. Law enforcement searched the truck and recovered a sawed-off shotgun and approximately one ounce of 95 percent pure methamphetamine. The investigation uncovered that Hansen distributed methamphetamine in the Holly Ridge area. Hansen has a prior federal conviction for possession of a stolen firearm.
Michael Easley, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Louise W. Flanagan. The Drug Enforcement Administration, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Onslow County Sheriffs’ Offices investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys 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. 7:22-CR-00081-FL.
Raleigh Eight Trey Gangster Crip Convicted in Aborted Murder Plot Targeting Rival Gang Member Receives 11 years in PrisonRead the Press Release
RALEIGH, N.C. – A Raleigh member of the Eight Trey Gangster Crips (ETGC) was sentenced yesterday to 132 months in prison for trafficking methamphetamine and his role in a murder conspiracy to kill a rival gang member that was aborted by law enforcement. Clinton Basco pled guilty to the charges on June 23, 2021.
“This case is part of an operation that led to over twenty indictments, taking down dangerous gang leaders and those who, like Basco, peddled dangerous drugs and conspired to kill rivals,” said U.S. Attorney Michael Easley. “We’ve forged a close partnership with Raleigh Police and the ATF to tackle violent crime, allowing for swift action by police to prevent yet another senseless murder.”
According to court documents and other information presented in court, an investigation identified a large drug-trafficking organization (DTO) which was distributing significant amounts of cocaine, methamphetamine, phencyclidine (PCP), 3,4-Methlyenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) and marijuana in the Raleigh area. The conduct of the DTO was perpetrated by leaders, members, and associates of the ETGC. Basco was responsible for conspiring to distribute more than 1,124.54 kilograms of converted drug weight in the Raleigh area.
Basco was in a leadership role within the ETGC and was known as an enforcer who committed acts of violence of behalf of the EGTC in Raleigh. Wiretap surveillance intercepted a conversation among members of the ETGC to kill a member of a rival gang that had tased high-level ETGC member Deandre Earp. At the direction of ETGC leader Dexter Maxwell, another gang member, Rayquan Wiggins, provided information on when the target of the murder plot would be in a certain area in Raleigh so that other ETGC’s, Basco and Earp, could commit the murder. Agents took enforcement action to prevent the murder from occurring by having Basco and Earp stopped as they were traveling by car to go murder the rival gang member. They were arrested before the murder could be committed. Maxwell and Earp previously pled guilty to charges related to the planned murder, as well as drug trafficking charges. Earp was sentenced to 40 years. https://www.justice.gov/usao-ednc/pr/raleigh-eight-trey-crip-gangster-sentenced-40-years-prison-vicar-and-methamphetamine Maxwell’s sentencing is pending.
This investigation is part of an Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force Operation (OCDETF). OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launders, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
Michael Easley, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge James C. Dever III. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Raleigh Police Department led the investigation with assistance from the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Raleigh/Wake City-County Bureau of Identification and United States Marshals Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kelly L. Sandling prosecuted the case.
Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:19-cr-00395-D-5.
Man Who Carjacked a FedEx Truck in Greenville Sentenced to 7 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
WILMINGTON, N.C. – A Kinston man was sentenced today to 84 months in prison for carjacking a FedEx truck, crashing it into a vehicle and a business, and trying to kidnap a child from the car he hit. On November 1, 2022, Dequan Martail Boone, also known as “Day Day,” pled guilty to one count of interfering with interstate commerce by robbery.
According to court documents and other information presented in court, Boone, 33, stole a FedEx truck by force from a driver delivering packages around 10:30 a.m. in Greenville. Boone sped away from the scene, crashing head-on into another vehicle and then into a commercial building. Upon exiting the FedEx truck, Boone ran to the vehicle he hit and tried to take a young child from inside. The child’s mother, who was driving the car, had to fight Boone off to make him release her child. Boone was subdued by bystanders and held until law enforcement arrived on scene.
Michael Easley, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after sentencing by Chief U.S. District Judge Richard E. Myers II. The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Greenville Police Department investigated the case, and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lori B. Warlick and Aakash Singh prosecuted the case.
Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 4:22-cr-44-M.
Career Offender Who Led Authorities on a High-Speed Chase on I-95 Found Guilty of Firearm and Narcotic ChargesRead the Press Release
RALEIGH, N.C. – A federal jury convicted a Wilson-based United Blood Nation gang member on charges of possession of a firearm by a felon, possess with intent to distribute cocaine and cocaine base, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking.
“Vick recklessly led police on a high-speed chase on a busy interstate across multiple counties in Eastern North Carolina,” said U.S. Attorney Michael Easley. “He endangered the lives of law enforcement and other drivers in his efforts to elude capture and continue his criminal activity. Now, he is facing time in a federal prison.”
According to court records and evidence presented at trial, Nazeer Vick, 32, was found in possession of a firearm and marijuana during a traffic stop in Wilson after a K9 unit detected the odor of marijuana. Vick was arrested but quickly bonded out of custody. Nearly six months later, on October 7, 2020, Nash County deputies encountered a car being driven by Vick that was driving erratically on Interstate 95, weaving in and out of traffic and reaching speeds in excess of 130 miles per hour. Vick fled from Nash County, into Wilson County and then into Johnston County where he crashed on I-95 after colliding with a transfer truck. Vick then crawled out of a window of the mangled car with a black bookbag and fled on foot to a nearby motel. Vick was captured by hotel security cameras running around the hotel attempting to open hotel room doors. He threw the bookbag into a trashcan and then hid in an electrical closet where he was later found by law enforcement. Officers recovered the discarded bookbag which contained cocaine, cocaine base, marijuana, various pills, a digital scale, a loaded firearm, and documents associated with Vick. Vick is a validated member of the United Blood Nation street gang and has a lengthy criminal history including voluntary manslaughter, selling heroin, possession with intent to sell or deliver heroin, and possession of a firearm by a felon.
He will face a mandatory minimum of five years and up to life imprisonment when sentenced during the July 24, 2023, term of court.
Michael Easley, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after U.S. District Judge James C. Dever III accepted the verdict. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), Wilson Police Department, Nash County Sheriff’s Office, Johnston County Sheriff’s Office, Rocky Mount Police Department, and North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation (SBI). investigated the case and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ashley Foxx and Robert Dodson prosecuted the case.
Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:20-cr-00485-D.
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Wilmington-Area Felon Who Sold Illegal Machine Gun, Cocaine, and Other Weapons Sentenced to over 10 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
NEW BERN, N.C. – Devonte Lewis, of Navassa, was sentenced to 130 months in prison for armed drug trafficking uncovered through an undercover operation focused on curbing gang violence in the Wilmington and Brunswick County Areas. Lewis pled guilty on December 8, 2022 to possession of a firearm not registered with the National Firearms Registry, possession of a firearm by a felon, distribution of a quantity of crack cocaine and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
“Those selling illegal machine guns and carrying firearms in furtherance of their drug dealing endanger our communities and will face significant consequences,” said U.S. Attorney Michael Easley. “The public needs to know that we will not allow criminals to use and deal in machine guns and ‘switches’ that convert Glocks into fully-automatic machine guns.”
According to court documents, evidence presented in court, and other documents, between November 16, 2021, and December 10, 2021, Lewis sold a Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) undercover agent the following: a 9mm handgun with an extended magazine ad a 50-round drum, two rifles, one that was stolen, a Glock 45 caliber handgun, a “switch” that converted a Glock 9mm handgun from a semiautomatic into a fully functioning machine gun, a semiautomatic handgun with an extended magazine, and a .38 caliber handgun. Additionally, Lewis sold the undercover agent a quantity of cocaine on at least two occasions. On one of those occasions Lewis was armed with a handgun.
On March 2, 2022, ATF contacted Ernest Robinson, a co-conspirator, about purchasing a firearm. Robison and Lewis arrived together to meet the undercover agent, and Lewis brought in an AR-10 rifle with a large capacity magazine and a revolver. The agent paid Robinson for the guns after he said they belonged to him. Robinson is a validated Blood gang member and, like Lewis, a convicted felon.
This is part of “Operation Golfer,” which is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launders, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
Michael Easley, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Louise W. Flanagan. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the U.S. Marshals Service, the Wilmington Police Department, and the Duplin, New Hanover and Brunswick County Sheriffs’ Offices investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Timothy Severo and Gabe Diaz prosecuted the case.
Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 7:22-CR-00038-FL.
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Raleigh Man Sentenced to 15 Years in Prison for Sex Trafficking 14-Year OldRead the Press Release
NEW BERN, N.C. – Kevin Harold Rudolph, 28, of Raleigh, was sentenced yesterday to 180 months in prison for sex trafficking of a minor. Rudolph and co-defendant Marcus Gambrell were charged in a four-count superseding indictment on April 7, 2020. The indictment charged both men with sex trafficking of a minor and using the internet to promote prostitution, Gambrell with manufacturing child pornography, and Rudolph with possession of a firearm by a felon. Rudolph pled guilty to the sex trafficking charge on March 7, 2022.
According to court records and statements made during hearings, in December 2018, a Raleigh Police Department detective was conducting an online investigation when he came across an advertisement offering a minor for prostitution. Law enforcement identified the minor as a 14-year-old girl who left a temporary home six days earlier. The detective texted the phone number listed on the advertisement to set up prostitution sting date. He was directed to a room at a Motel 6 in Raleigh, where he located and rescued the victim. In the room, officers found condoms, an iPad, and a bookbag. The bookbag contained a firearm and paperwork in Rudolph’s name. On the iPad, officers found photos of the victim that had been used in the prostitution advertisements, as well as additional photos that showed the minor victim’s genitals. The hotel was registered to Marcus Gambrell.
The victim explained to officers that after running away—in slippers and with no coat, despite it being late December—she had ended up at the Raleigh Inn in Raleigh. There, on Christmas Day, she had met and socialized with Gambrell and Rudolph. The two men invited her to relocate with them to a nearby Motel 6 the next day. Once at the Motel 6, Gambrell took photos of the victim with the iPad. The two men used those photos to post and maintain prostitution advertisements for the victim on the internet. Over the next two days, they took turns supervising the prostitution and updated each other over Facebook Messenger. The victim estimated that Rudolph and Gambrell arranged around 10 to 15 “dates” per day, and they kept all the money. She stated that on one occasion Gambrell had vaginal sex with her, as Rudolph recoded a video with his cell phone. Law enforcement, however, did not recover the video. After his arrest, Rudolph provided law enforcement with the same number that has been listed in the prostitution advertisements.
Co-defendant Marcus Gambrell pled guilty on January 19, 2021, to manufacturing child pornography. On December 21, 2021, he was sentenced to a 210-month term of imprisonment.
Michael Easley, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Louise W. Flanagan. The Raleigh Police Department and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jake D. Pugh prosecuted the case.
Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:19-cr-0336-FL.
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Career Offender Who Carjacked, Sexually Assaulted, and Stabbed Woman Sentenced to over 24 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
RALEIGH, N.C. –David Earl Page, 54, of Maxton, North Carolina was sentenced yesterday to 293 months in prison for carjacking resulting in serious bodily injury after forcing a woman into a car at knifepoint and driving her to a remote location where he sexually assaulted her and then stabbed her when she attempted to escape. Page pled guilty on January 3, 2023.
According to court documents and other information presented in court, on March 11, 2021, a Robeson County Sheriff’s Deputy was approached by a female who was suffering from multiple stab wounds. The victim advised that while she was working at the South of the Border shopping center in Dillon, South Carolina, she was approached on a smoke break by a black male, later identified as Page, who put a knife to her throat—forcing her into her own vehicle. Page then drove the vehicle into Rowland, North Carolina, where he tied her hands and feet with a sheet. They traveled down a series of roads before stopping in a rural area where the victim was forced out of her vehicle and sexually assaulted. When she attempted to escape, Page grabbed her by her hair, beat her, and stabbed her with a knife. He then forced her back into the vehicle and drove around to different convenience stores to purchase different items, which was captured on video surveillance.
Page has a history of committing armed robberies and is a career offender.
Michael Easley, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Terrence W. Boyle. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, Robeson County Sheriff’s Office, and Dillon County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case and Assistant U.S. Attorney Chad Rhoades prosecuted the case.
Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 7:21-CR-87-BO.
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Raleigh Man Sentenced to 19 Years in Federal Prison for Multiple Armed RobberiesRead the Press Release
RALEIGH, N.C. – Ira Burnett, 34, of Raleigh, North Carolina was sentenced today to 228 months in prison for charges related to four armed robberies in Raleigh, North Carolina.
According to court records and evidence presented in court, Ira Burnett committed four-armed robberies in Raleigh between June 27, 2021 and July 5, 2021. He displayed a weapon to rob a Family Dollar, two Walgreens, and Sky Blue Tobacco all located in Raleigh.
A “Be on the Look Out” or B.O.L.O. announcement was made public by the Raleigh Police Department on June 29, 2021, which included two photos of Burnett taken from video surveillance footage from Family Dollar. Burnett displayed or brandished a weapon to the clerks in each location. He attempted to disguise his identity by wearing a sweatshirt, a mask, and the same Fox Racing hat during each robbery. He was also observed driving the same grey in color vehicle in each location. Less than 20 minutes after his last robbery, a manager at a gas station on Wake Crossroads called police as she recognized Burnett from the B.O.L.O announcement and believed he had just left the gas station. The manager was able to provide the police with video footage and photo evidence of the vehicle Burnett was driving, a grey Nissan, which enabled police to track down the owner of the vehicle.
On July 6, 2021, the Raleigh Police Department executed a search warrant at the residence of the owner of the grey Nissan. Recovered as a result of the search was a loaded .357 caliber revolver, two sweatshirts that resembled what Burnett wore during the robberies, and a Fox Racing hat. Burnett was indicted for the robberies on September 7, 2022 and pleaded guilty to all four robberies on January 4, 2023.
Michael F. Easley, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Terrence W. Boyle. The Raleigh Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives 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. 5:22-CR-00208-BO.
Fayetteville Man Sentenced to More Than 8 Years in Prison for Firearm ChargeRead the Press Release
RALEIGH, N.C. – A Fayetteville man was sentenced today to 105 months imprisonment followed by 36 months of supervised release. Kevin Anthony Harmer, 32, of Fayetteville, North Carolina pled guilty on December 22, 2022, to Possession of a Stolen Firearm.
According to court documents and other information presented in court, on May 5, 2021, officers with the Fayetteville Police Department responded to a domestic violence call. Harmer was found near the residence with a loaded 9mm firearm in his waistband. While out on bond for that offense, Harmer was engaged in a verbal altercation with another man at a tobacco store in Fayetteville. During the altercation, Harmer shot the other man in the foot. That firearm was reported stolen by Harmer’s fiancé’s father.
Michael Easley, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after the sentencing was concluded. U.S. District Judge James C. Dever III presided over the sentencing. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosions along with the Fayetteville Police Department investigated the case and Assistant U.S. Attorney Charity Wilson prosecuted the case.
Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:22-CR-00085-D.
Rocky Mount Blood Gang Leader Sentenced for Drug Trafficking and COVID-19 FraudRead the Press Release
RALEIGH, N.C. – A Rocky Mount leader of the G-Shine Bloods gang, a subset of the United Blood Nation gang, was sentenced today in connection with his leadership role in a violent drug trafficking organization. Tyrone Foreman, also known as “Ty Nitty,”
was sentenced to 360 months in prison after having pled guilty to conspiracy to distribute heroin, fentanyl, and marijuana, and conspiracy to commit wire fraud. Additionally, he was ordered to make restitution in the amount of $220,211.27 to the Federal Government.The case was part of Operation Caught Cold, which led to the conviction of 17 defendants, including Foreman, the seizure of 6,601 dosage units of a mixture containing fentanyl 4,389 dosage units of heroin, and over 20 guns. In total, Foreman was personally responsible for trafficking more than 14,000 doses of a fentanyl mixture, and more than 60,940 doses of heroin.
“Tyrone Foreman used threats and intimidation to run his criminal drug trafficking enterprise while his organization raked in over a quarter million dollars in COVID-19 unemployment fraud,” said U.S. Attorney Michael Easley. “Through this operation we seized at least 20 firearms, some in the hands of felons and purchased through straw buyers. Let this 30-year sentence be a warning. Armed drug traffickers pushing fentanyl in North Carolina will pay a heavy price. Operation Caught Cold is yet another example of what can be accomplished when local law enforcement agencies partner to deliver justice.”
According to court documents and other information presented in court, Foreman, 35, was identified as a high-ranking member of the G-Shine Bloods gang in the Rocky Mount area. The investigation revealed that Foreman obtained thousands of dosage units of mixtures containing heroin and fentanyl from various suppliers spanning from Wake Forest to New York. The heroin/fentanyl mixtures would then be distributed throughout Nash and Edgecombe Counties by lower ranking gang members and other drug dealers working at Foreman’s direction.
“ATF and our law enforcement partners will continue to apply every resource available to combat the violent gun crime associated with gangs and drug trafficking networks,” said Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Special Agent in Charge Bennie Mims. “Bringing the leaders of these violent groups to justice is a critical move towards disbanding these criminal networks and taking illegal firearms off our streets.”
“I would like to thank the men and woman in local and state agencies involved. I appreciate the long hours away from their families and the necessary paperwork needed to build strong cases,” said Edgecombe County Sheriff Cleveland Atkinson. “I especially want to thank our federal partners for their continued hard work to help us keep our citizens safe. And lastly, I want to thank all of our concerned citizens for notifying law enforcement of gang activity & drug dealing and wanting a safer community.”
“This conviction is further evidence that those who decide to lead and or participate in illegal organizations will become prime targets of federal investigations,” stated Rocky Mount Police Chief Robert Hassell. “Organizations like the one that Tyrone Foreman was leading led to multiple crimes being committed in and around our community. Today is a day that the communities that he once disrupted with his criminal activity will now be a little safer with his conviction and sentencing. We value our law enforcement partners and will take cases federally whenever possible to ensure these offenders are taken off our streets.”
On October 9, 2019, investigators with the Nash County Sheriff’s Office conducted a surveillance operation on Foreman as he travelled from Nash County to Wake Forest to meet with a drug supplier. Investigators conducted a traffic stop of Foreman as he returned to Nash County and recovered approximately 2,000 dosage units of heroin/fentanyl mixture from his vehicle.
The investigation continued throughout the fall of 2019 and into 2020, as members of local law enforcement agencies collaborated to conduct over twenty controlled purchases of heroin or heroin/fentanyl mixture from members of Foreman’s drug trafficking organization. Through controlled purchases, surveillance, search warrants, traffic stops, and interviews of witnesses, investigators learned that members of the Foreman Drug Trafficking Organization routinely carried firearms while they sold heroin/fentanyl and utilized threats of violence to ensure that the organization’s drug sales continued. During the course of the investigation, over twenty firearms were seized from Foreman, members of his gang, members of his drug trafficking organization, and females that were straw purchasing firearms on their behalf. One of Foreman’s co-conspirators, Vernisha Suggs, made numerous straw purchases on behalf of Bloods gang members from federally licensed firearm dealers in Rocky Mount. Suggs pled guilty and was sentenced to 71 months in prison.
In October 2020, the investigative team identified a New York based heroin/fentanyl supplier who was travelling to Rocky Mount to provide Foreman with thousands of dosage units at a time. Through surveillance and hotel records, investigators confirmed four meetings between Foreman and the supplier during October and November 2020 alone.
The drug investigation culminated in a December 2020 traffic stop of Foreman and another member of his gang on I-95 in Maryland as they returned from meeting with the New York based supplier. Over 3,500 dosage units of heroin/fentanyl mixture were seized during that stop.
After Foreman’s Maryland arrest, law enforcement continued to learn that he was involved in other criminal activity. Foreman placed various recorded jail calls from Maryland to women in North Carolina where it was apparent that he was directing them to handle money for him. Investigators learned that Foreman and these women were committing a wire fraud conspiracy in which they were collecting thousands of dollars’ worth of COVID-19 related unemployment benefits based on claims they fraudulently filed using personal information of other individuals, some of whom were in prison and ineligible to receive benefits. They filed at least 26 false claims, and the conspiracy netted over $250,000 in cash that was distributed to Foreman’s associates.
This investigation is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launders, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks. This investigation spanned three years. In total, 17 defendants have been convicted, and eight have been sentenced.
The agencies involved in the investigation include Nash County Sheriff’s Office, Rocky Mount Police Department, Edgecombe County Sheriff’s Office, Nashville Police Department, Halifax County Sheriff’s Office, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the North Carolina Department of Commerce - Division of Employment Security, and the Office of the 8th Prosecutorial District of North Carolina.
Michael Easley, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge James C. Dever III. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Caroline Webb and Charity Wilson, and former Assistant U.S. Attorney J.D. Koesters prosecuted the case.
Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:21-CR-289-D-1.
Raleigh Man Sentenced to 16 Years for Seeking Child Pornography in Online Chat RoomsRead the Press Release
RALEIGH, N.C. – William Robert Jeffery of Wake County was sentenced today to 192 months in prison for accessing the internet with intent to view child pornography. A federal jury found Jeffery, 61, guilty of the charge on December 22, 2022, following a two-day trial.
According to court records and evidence presented at trial, in spring of 2020, the Raleigh Police Department received reports from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) regarding illegal internet activity at Jeffery’s Raleigh home. NCMEC reported that on five occasions from October 2019, to January 2020, a user at that address had submitted images of Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM, often referred to as child pornography) into the Microsoft Bing reverse image search, seeking similar images.
On March 17, 2020, FBI and the Raleigh Police Department executed a search warrant at Jeffery’s home. He admitted to using a pornographic chat website and viewing clothed images of children, but he denied possessing CSAM material. A forensic examination of his laptop showed extensive activity on the chat website and multiple CSAM images that had been deleted from the internet history. The forensic analyst also recovered deleted images of CSAM material on an older computer that Jeffery had used in 2006-2009, along with earlier activity on the same chat website.
Jeffery has a prior conviction in federal court for traveling in interstate commerce for the purpose of engaging in a sex act with a minor in 2020, and in 2021, he was convicted in Dare County Superior Court of two counts of indecent liberties with a minor.
Michael Easley, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge James C. Dever III. The Raleigh Police Department and Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) investigated the case, which Assistant U.S. Attorney Jake D. Pugh prosecuted.
Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No.2:20-CR-0464-D.
Former Air Force Sergeant Pleads Guilty to Stealing Firearm Silencers Intended for Military UseRead the Press Release
RALEIGH, N.C. – Troy Lynn Misiak, age 47, of Spring Lake pleaded guilty to felony theft of government property and unlawful possession of an unregistered weapon. According to the Government’s statement during the plea hearing, Misiak used his former position as a United States Air Force Master Sergeant (MSgt) to obtain, among other things, firearm suppressors supposedly for use by his military unit, but which he stole for himself. These items required proper registration under the National Firearms Act, which designated them as property of the United States Air Force. The Government further explained that after Misiak left the Air Force and became a civil service employee of the United States Army, he continued to try to obtain weaponry, sometimes successfully, from firearms dealers and manufacturers that were again purportedly intended for the military’s use, but which Misiak took for his personal collection.
Items seized from Misiak’s home included two Surefire brand firearm suppressors, a Daniel Defense internally suppressed rifle barrel, eight Geissele Automatics brand rifle upper assemblies, two suppressor alignment rods, two suspected rocket launcher tubes, and approximately 6,000 rounds of sealed ammunition. Investigators also seized a 31-page classified document from the US Army Special Operations Command that Misiak was not authorized to possess.
“Our American military is the best-equipped fighting force the world has ever seen, and our military leaders should be good stewards of that equipment, not abuse their positions for personal gain,” said U.S. Attorney Michael Easley. “We won’t allow dangerous weaponry that is provided for military use to be stolen without consequences. Today’s guilty plea is just one example of our partnership with the Air Force and ATF to ensure those consequences are meted out.”
“This defendant took advantage of his position, creating a potential threat to public safety,” said ATF Special Agent in Charge Bennie Mims. “There’s a proper procedure for acquiring firearms and related devices. Ignoring that process could lead to firearms ending up in the hands of prohibited and dangerous individuals.”
Each charge carries a maximum sentence of ten years’ imprisonment. The theft charge also carries a maximum fine of $250,000, while the weapon charge also carries a maximum fine of $10,000.
Michael Easley, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, made the announcement after United States Magistrate Judge Robert T. Numbers II accepted the plea. The Air Force Office of Special Investigations and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives are investigating the case and Assistant U.S. Attorney Lori B. Warlick is prosecuting the case.
Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:23-CR-48-D.
Wilson Man Pleads Guilty to COVID-19 Fraud Scheme in North CarolinaRead the Press Release
RALEIGH, N.C. – Nekita Donyae Hooks, 44, pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to commit wire fraud for fraudulently obtaining a Paycheck Protection Act (“PPP”) COVID-19 loan. He faces up to 20 years in prison.
“This defendant, along with his network of co-conspirators, took taxpayer money meant to help struggling small businesses during a global pandemic,” said U.S. Attorney Michael Easley. “We are investigating and prosecuting those who steal from public programs intended to keep legitimate businesses afloat.”
According to the charged criminal information, the defendant conspired with Edward Whitaker, Schunda Coleman, and others to obtain a fraudulent PPP loan on behalf of Hooks’ business. Whitaker and Coleman pled guilty on January 19, 2023 for their role in operating a nation-wide scheme to help people across the country commit millions of dollars of PPP fraud.
According to charging documents and information summarized in court, Whitaker and Coleman created fraudulent supporting documents and applications for the PPP loan which they provided to Hooks in exchange for 25% of the total loan proceeds. The fraudulent application falsified the number of employees and gross wages being paid prior to the COVID pandemic, in order to help qualify for the PPP loan. Following the disbursement of the PPP loans, Whitaker instructed Hooks as to how to make it appear that the PPP loans were being paid out to employees, when in reality the money was transferred back to Hooks. The fraudulent payroll records were then submitted to the Small Business Administration (SBA) to obtain 100% loan forgiveness.
Late last year, Quentin Jackson pled guilty in the same conspiracy which included the recruitment of numerous individuals in the Eastern District of North Carolina to use Whitaker and Coleman to obtain fraudulent PPP funds.
“The Paycheck Protection Program was designed to help small businesses facing financial difficulties during the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Donald “Trey” Eakins, Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Criminal Investigation Special Agent in Charge in the Charlotte Field Office. “Through our partnership with the U.S. Attorney’s Office and our federal law enforcement partners, IRS Criminal Investigation Special Agents will continue to aggressively pursue individuals who try to exploit federal relief programs for their personal gain.”
The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act was designed to provide emergency financial assistance to the millions of Americans who were economically suffering from the COVID-19 pandemic. The CARES Act and additional appropriations authorized up to $649 billion in forgivable loans to small businesses through the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). Financial institutions issued the PPP loans, which were guaranteed by the SBA.
Michael Easley, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after United States Magistrate Judge Robert T. Numbers II accepted the plea. Sentencing will occur before United States District Judge James C. Dever III later this year. Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Criminal Investigation is leading the investigation, and Assistant U.S. Attorney David G. Beraka is prosecuting the cases.
A copy of this press release is located on our website. Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:23-CR-00025-D.
Raleigh Man Sentenced for Healthcare Fraud, Wire Fraud, and Identity Theft from Elderly and Disabled Medicare BeneficiariesRead the Press Release
RALEIGH, N.C. – A Raleigh man was sentenced today to 204 months in prison for conspiracy to commit healthcare fraud, healthcare fraud, ten counts of wire fraud and ten counts of aggravated identity theft. On October 19, 2022, Furman Alexander Ford, 53, was convicted by jury trial of all of the charges.
“We live in a generous nation, but some choose to feed their greed at the expense of those in need. This defendant stole the identities of Medicare beneficiaries to defraud a taxpayer-funded program intended to help elderly, poor and disabled citizens,” said U.S. Attorney Michael Easley. “This 17-year sentence is fitting for a defendant who stole from the most vulnerable in our society.”
According to court records and evidence presented at trial, Furman Alexander Ford, was the owner and operator of IAM Healthcare based in Raleigh, North Carolina. The investigation and trial evidence showed that Ford oversaw a scheme to trick group homes located in Wake, Durham and Johnston Counties into providing client Medicare information. Ford also targeted small community churches in Bladen County by offering food in exchange for Medicare information. Ford then used the information from these schemes to submit Medicare claims on behalf of these elderly and disabled beneficiaries who did not receive any services from IAM Healthcare. Specifically, Ford submitted fraudulent claims from December, 2018 to February, 2020, to Medicare for reimbursement. In total, Ford caused more than $500,000 to be billed to Medicare through IAM Healthcare. At least 74 beneficiaries whose information had been stolen had claims submitted to Medicare for services not rendered. Those claims alone totaled at least $251,508, of which $166,928 was paid to Ford.
In reflecting upon the need to deter Medicare providers from abusing the trust placed in them by taxpayers, the Court stated, “if they are caught, the consequences will be time in a penitentiary, and that’s fair and that’s just, and that what is going to happen today.”
Michael Easley, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge James C. Dever III. The Department of Health cand Human Services – Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) investigated the case, and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ethan A. Ontjes and William Gilmore prosecuted the case.
Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:20-cr-00351-FL-1.
Media Advisory – Press ConferenceRead the Press Release
RALEIGH, N.C. – United States Attorney Michael Easley, along with representatives from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Rocky Mount Police Department, and the Nash and Edgecombe Sheriffs’ Offices will hold a press conference TOMORROW, Friday, March 31 at 2:00 p.m. to announce the sentence of Tyrone Foreman, a Rocky Mount leader of the G-Shine Blood gang, who was convicted of drug trafficking fentanyl and COVID-19 pandemic relief fraud. Officials will also provide an update on the violent crime initiative launched last year in the Rocky Mount area.
WHERE: Terry Sanford Federal Building, Room 158, 310 New Bern Avenue, Raleigh, NC 27601
WHEN: Friday, March 31 at 2:00 p.m.
Media: Please arrive at the courthouse by 1:30 for set up.
Credentialed members of the media are invited to attend. For additional information, please e-mail Don Connelly at [email protected].
Please RSVP your intentions to attend the event.
Craven County Gang Member Receives 15 Years in Federal Prison for Role in Drug Trafficking OrganizationRead the Press Release
RALEIGH, N.C. – Eric Best, also known as “Slime,” 24, of New Bern was sentenced today to 180 months in prison for trafficking methamphetamine and fentanyl. The investigation revealed that from March 2019, until December 2022, Best was involved in the distribution of more than two kilograms of methamphetamine and more than 500 grams of fentanyl. Best pled guilty to the charges on October 4, 2022.
According to court documents, evidence presented in court, and other evidence, on April 26, 2019, law enforcement conducted a traffic stop on a car in Craven County. Law enforcement found four guns including an assault rifle and $8,000. Best was one of three people in the car. It was later determined that they were going to New Jersey to sell the guns.
On December 22, 2020, the New Bern Police conducted a traffic stop on a car being driven by Best. An officer noticed the odor of marijuana. During a search, officers located 74 grams of fentanyl and 27 grams of methamphetamine inside of the car and on a passenger. The investigation uncovered that Best had instructed the passenger to hide the drugs. According to law enforcement, Best is a validated gang member and held a position of leadership in the Pretty Tony Blood gang.
This is part of operation “Jersey South” which is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launders, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
Michael Easley, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge James C. Dever III. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, United States Marshal’s Fugitive Task Force, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Craven and Granville County Sheriffs’ Offices, and the New Bern Police Department investigated the case. Additionally, the Craven County District Attorney’s Office and the District Attorney Scott Thomas assisted with the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy Severo prosecuted the case.
Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 4:21-CR-0053-D-4.
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Goldsboro Man Sentenced to More than Seven Years for Trafficking MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
WILMINGTON, N.C. – Aratika Omhaya Anderson, 43, of Goldsboro was sentenced to 88 months in prison for his leadership role in a drug trafficking organization that was trafficking significant quantities of methamphetamine in the Goldsboro area.
According to court documents and information presented in court, in 2019, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) in Wilmington, North Carolina received information that Anderson was part of a large-scale drug trafficking organization operating in Goldsboro and distributing significant quantities of crystal methamphetamine, cocaine hydrochloride, and cocaine base (crack). The organization also maintained several “trap houses” or “stash houses” in Goldsboro and employed runners, often times drug users, to hand deliver drugs. Based upon the investigation, law enforcement learned that Anderson worked with the leader of the organization and personally managed a number of individuals distributing methamphetamine and crack cocaine from one of the organization’s stash houses.
During the course of the investigation, law enforcement gathered historical information regarding this organization from multiple confidential sources, conducted surveillance, and also conducted controlled purchases of narcotics from Anderson, as well as those working for him. Over the course of the conspiracy, Anderson was responsible for assisting in the distribution of at least 283.5 grams of crack cocaine, 198.45 grams of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine, and 572.48 grams of crystal methamphetamine, a/k/a “Ice.” On October 19, 2021, Anderson pled guilty to Conspiracy to Distribute and Possess With Intent to Distribute Fifty (50) grams or more of methamphetamine and Distribution of Five (5) grams or more of methamphetamine, aiding and abetting.
Five total defendants have been charged and convicted in this investigation:
- Johnathan Aquavius Heath, a/k/a “Booty” (5:21-CR-314-M-1): pled guilty on June 7, 2022, to Conspiracy to Distribute and Possess With Intent to Distribute Fifty (50) Grams or More of Methamphetamine, Five (5) Kilograms or More of Cocaine, and Two Hundred Eighty (280) Grams or More of Cocaine Base (Crack) and Distribution of Fifty Grams or more of Methamphetamine. Heath’s sentencing is currently pending.
- Victoria Christine Taylor (5:21-CR-314-M-3): pled guilty on March 8, 2022, to Conspiracy to Distribute and Possess With Intent to Distribute a quantity of crack cocaine and was later sentenced to 80 months in prison.
- Richard Ronald Harris, III (5:21-CR-314-M-5): pled guilty on October 6, 2021, to Conspiracy to Distribute and Possess With Intent to Distribute Fifty (50) Grams or More of Methamphetamine and Distribution of Five Grams or more of Methamphetamine, Aiding and Abetting. Harris was sentenced to 70 months imprisonment.
- Lelia Inez Harris (5:21-CR-314-M-5): pled guilty on November 16, 2021, to Conspiracy to Distribute and Possess With Intent to Distribute Five (5) Grams or More of Methamphetamine, Distribution of Five Grams or more of Methamphetamine, Aiding and Abetting. Harris was sentenced to 55 months imprisonment.
Michael Easley, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, made the announcement after sentencing by Chief Judge Richard E. Myers II. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) in Wilmington and the Goldsboro Police Department investigated the case and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer C. Nucci prosecuted the case.
This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launders, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for case number 5:21-CR-00314-M.
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Violent Fayetteville Pimp and Drug Dealer Sentenced to More Than 32 Years in Prison for Kidnapping, Drug and Gun OffensesRead the Press Release
WILMINGTON, N.C. – A Fayetteville man was sentenced today to 390 months in prison for charges associated with kidnapping and possession of illegal substances and firearms between 2018 and 2019. On May 3, 2022, Yomere Juan Busbee, 38, also known as “Ram,” pled guilty to the charge of possession with the intent to distribute several drugs and was later found guilty on September 2, 2022, following a three-day jury trial, of multiple charges involving kidnapping, a drug conspiracy, and firearms.
“The defendant drove violence and exploitation in the Fayetteville community,” said U.S. Attorney Michael Easley. “Busbee led a prostitution and drug ring using physical violence, threats, or drugs to cause women to engage in commercial sex and keep all their profits. He will now spend the next 32 years in prison.”
"It is heartbreaking to know the violence the victims suffered at the hands of Yomere Juan Busbee. We hope this federal prison sentence provides some sense of comfort. The FBI is committed to holding offenders accountable for the violent crimes they commit," said Special Agent in Charge Robert M. DeWitt.
According to court documents and other information presented in court, Busbee and two co-defendants, James Calvin McEachern, Jr. and Merianda Gray held three adult victims, along with a two-year-old child, against their will in a motel room in December of 2018 after Busbee accused the victims of stealing several hundred dollars from him. At the time, Busbee was a convicted felon engaged in dealing drugs and prostituting women, assisted by McEachern. The victims were physically and/or sexually assaulted throughout the several-hour incident during which they also witnessed Busbee brandish a firearm and McEachern brandish a taser to coerce the cooperation of the victims. One of the victims was eventually able to get a message to a family member who called 911. Upon learning that Fayetteville Police Officers were responding to the incident, Busbee and McEachern fled the motel.
Weeks later, in January of 2019, Fayetteville Police Department detectives investigating the kidnapping apprehended Busbee at another Fayetteville motel. A search of the motel room and Busbee’s vehicle revealed two handguns (one of which was stolen) and large amounts of heroin, cocaine, and crack. Gray previously pled guilty to conspiracy to commit kidnapping and was sentenced to 90 months custody, five years of supervised release, and $2,000 in restitution. McEachern also pled guilty to conspiracy to commit kidnapping and was sentenced today to 108 months in prison and 5 years of supervised release for his role in the kidnapping.
Michael Easley, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after sentencing by Chief U.S. District Judge Richard E. Myers II. The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Fayetteville Police Department investigated the case and former Assistant U.S. Attorney Erin Blondel and Assistant U.S. Attorney Bryan M. Stephany prosecuted the case.
Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:20-cr-00393-M.
Convicted Child Molester Sentenced for Immigration Fraud and Judicially Ordered Removed from the United StatesRead the Press Release
RALEIGH, N.C. – Manuel Alejandro Vitela-Romero, age 36, a citizen of Mexico residing in Johnston County, was sentenced today by Chief United States District Judge Richard E. Myers II to time served plus one year of supervised release following a guilty plea to immigration fraud. Moreover, Vitela was judicially ordered removed from the United States.
According to court records, on March 23, 2019, Vitela knowingly made a materially false statement on an application for an immigration benefit. In response to the question “Have you ever…engaged in [a]ny kind of sexual contact or relations with any person who was being forced or threatened?” he answered “No.”
Contrary to Vitela’s statement, he had taken indecent liberties with a minor, a 13-year-old girl, on August 8, 2018, and he was convicted on November 8, 2022, in the Superior Court of North Carolina in Johnston County. He was sentenced to a term of imprisonment of between 16 and 29 months and ordered to register as a sex offender.
Michael Easley, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement. Agents with ICE’s Enforcement and Removal Operations and Homeland Security Investigations, assigned to the Document Benefit Fraud Task Force, investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sebastian Kielmanovich 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-008-1M-BM.
Clayton Woman Pleads Guilty to Defrauding North Carolina MedicaidRead the Press Release
RALEIGH, N.C. – Lakia Lateefah Washington, 39, who fraudulently claimed to provide counseling services to fake patients, including an unborn child, pled guilty to defrauding North Carolina Medicaid. Washington faces up to 10 years in prison and a potential fine.
“This defendant stole money from a taxpayer-funded program intended to help individuals and families cover essential healthcare,” said U.S. Attorney Michael Easley. “My office will continue to investigate and prosecute these cases of fraud.”
According to the information and evidence summarized in court, Washington was a licensed mental health counselor registered with North Carolina Medicaid (“Medicaid”) since 2015. Through her business, L.W. Therapeutics & Consulting, LLC, Washington began fraudulently billing Medicaid as early as January 2018. Washington received names, dates of birth and/or Medicaid beneficiary numbers of Medicaid beneficiaries for which she paid a small finder’s fee. Washington would then use that beneficiary data to fraudulently submit claims to Medicaid for services never rendered. In egregious examples, Washington fraudulently billed Medicaid for over 24 one-hour mental health appointments in a single day; and billed Medicaid for in-person services rendered in disparate locations in Eastern North Carolina within close temporal proximity. In another instance, Washington submitted claims for services rendered to an unborn beneficiary still in utero at the time of the purported service being rendered. In total, Washington’s actions led to the disbursement of over $800,000 by Medicaid from 2018 to 2020.
“This person defrauded Medicaid of money that should have gone to people’s health care,” said North Carolina Attorney General Josh Stein. “My office will continue to hold people responsible when they cheat taxpayers.”
“Those who fraudulently bill Medicaid for services never actually provided threaten the integrity of this important safety net program, which is designed to provide medically necessary services to some of the most vulnerable individuals in our country,” said Special Agent in Charge Tamala E. Miles of the Department of Health and Human Services Office of the Inspector General. “Working closely with our law enforcement partners, our agency continues to thoroughly investigate such fraud schemes and hold scammers accountable for their actions.”
The Center for Medicaid Services, within the federal Department of Health and Human Services, is responsible for overseeing the Medicaid program in North Carolina, which has been administered by the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services since 1978. Medicaid providers are assigned a National Provider Identifier, which they use to submit claims for reimbursement for services rendered to Medicaid beneficiaries.
Michael Easley, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Terrence W. Boyle accepted the plea. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of the Inspector General, is leading the investigation with the assistance North Carolina Medicaid Investigations Division, and Assistant U.S. Attorney David G. Beraka is prosecuting the case.
Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case Nos. 5:23-cr-00065-BO.
Rocky Mount Blood Gang Member Sentenced to 22 Years for Armed Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
RALEIGH, N.C. – A Rocky Mount man was sentenced yesterday to 264 months in prison for possession of marijuana and cocaine and for possession of multiple firearms in furtherance of a drug distribution offense. On October 20, 2022, Charven Keivon Gorham pled guilty to the charges.
According to court documents and other information presented in court, Rocky Mount Police Department officers received information that Gorham, a validated Blood gang member, was selling drugs out of his residence in Rocky Mount. Officers executed a search warrant at Gorham’s residence on May 27, 2020 after having conducted several controlled purchases of drugs from that location. During the search, officers seized marijuana, cocaine, over $13,000 in U.S. Currency, and two handguns. On October 18, 2021, a second search warrant at Gorham’s residence led to the seizure of another handgun and additional marijuana and cocaine. At the time of these search warrants, Gorham had multiple prior convictions for drug and weapons offenses in Nash County.
“This is a welcomed conviction and should serve as a reminder to those who would involve themselves in gun crimes and or attempt to sell drugs in Rocky Mount, that this criminal activity will not be tolerated,” said Rocky Mount Police Chief Robert Hassell. “We value our partnerships with our law enforcement partners and will take cases federally whenever possible to ensure these offenders are taken off our streets. We will continue to focus on drug, guns, and gangs within the city and make our city one of the safest places to live.”
This conviction comes as part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launders, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
Michael Easley, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge James C. Dever III. Rocky Mount Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives investigated the case and Assistant U.S. Attorney Caroline Webb prosecuted the case.
Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:21-CR-161-D.
Mocksville Man Sentenced to Eighteen Years for Trafficking MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
RALEIGH, N.C. – A Mocksville, North Carolina man was sentenced to 216 months in prison for Conspiracy to Distribute 50 grams or more of Methamphetamine and Distribution of 50 grams or more of Methamphetamine.
According to court documents and information presented at the sentencing hearing, Kelvin Vincente Noyola, a/k/a “Tripp,” 30, was part of a large-scale drug trafficking organization that operated in Winston-Salem, and it distributed significant quantities of crystal methamphetamine to the Goldsboro area.
Based upon the investigation, law enforcement learned that Noyola, was responsible for the distribution of multi-kilogram quantities of crystal methamphetamine, a/k/a “Ice,” while assisted by co-defendant, Israel Ponce, and others. Specifically, over the course of the conspiracy, Noyola was responsible for assisting in the distribution of at least 16.825 kilograms of crystal methamphetamine. On July 25, 2022, Noyola entered a plea of guilty to the charges.
Co-defendant, Israel Ponce, was also charged and convicted in this investigation in Case No. 5:22CR00010D-002. Over the course of the conspiracy, Ponce was responsible for assisting in the distribution of at least 933.5 grams of crystal methamphetamine. Ponce pled guilty on May 18, 2022, to Conspiracy to Distribute and Possess With Intent to Distribute 50 grams or more of Methamphetamine and Distribution of 50 grams or more of Methamphetamine, aiding and abetting. On October 13, 2022, Ponce was sentenced to 151 months imprisonment, followed by 5 years of supervised release.
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) in Wilmington, North Carolina the Wayne County Sheriff’s Office in Goldsboro, North Carolina, and the Winston-Salem Police Department in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, investigated the case and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer C. Nucci prosecuted the case.
This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launders, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
A copy of this press release is located on our website. Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for case number 5:22CR00010-D-001.
Wilmington Gang Member Armed with “Ghost Gun” Sentenced to More Than 11 Years for Trafficking MethRead the Press Release
NEW BERN, N.C. – Shamar Keaton, also known as “Sleeze” and “Sleeze Ru Gambino,” 32, of Wilmington, was sentenced to 135 months in prison for drug trafficking. According to law enforcement, Keaton was a member of the United Blood Nation in Wilmington.
According to court documents, evidence presented in court, and other documents, on December 15, 2021, an individual working at the direction of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) purchased more than 20 grams of methamphetamine from Keaton. Keaton was wearing an ankle monitor that he had been ordered to wear by the North Carolina State Court system. Keaton had a prior state conviction for possession of a stolen firearm.
On March 5, 2022, the same individual made another controlled purchase, this time for approximately two ounces of pure methamphetamine. During the deal, Keaton said that he had a 9mm “ghost gun” (a term for a privately manufactured firearm without serial numbers or other identifying marks that cannot be traced by law enforcement). Keaton said that he had a source for ghost guns. Keaton explained that it would cost $600 to get all the parts and then his source charges $200 to assemble the gun. Keaton was arrested by ATF on March 16, 2022.
This is part of “Operation Golfer,” which is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launders, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
Michael Easley, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Louise W. Flanagan. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the U.S. Marshals Service, the Wilmington Police Department, and the Duplin, New Hanover and Brunswick County Sheriffs’ Offices investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Timothy Severo and Gabe Diaz prosecuted the case.
Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 7:22-cr-00049-FL-001.
Kittrell Man Sentenced to More Than 15 Years for Multiple Armed Bank RobberiesRead the Press Release
WILMINGTON, N.C. – Cameron Evans, 27, of Kittrell was sentenced today to 185 months in prison for charges related to two bank robberies in Raleigh and Greenville.
According to court records and other information presented in court, On December 6, 2019, the SunTrust bank located at 7320 Creedmoor Road in Raleigh, was robbed at gunpoint by four men. The men left the bank with approximately $11,578.00 and witnesses saw them fleeing the scene in a white Hyundai Elantra. On December 30, 2019, around 4:30 p.m., the Branch Bank & Trust (BB&T) located 2475 Stantonsburg Road in Greenville was robbed at gunpoint by three men. They left the bank with $72,853 and witnesses saw them flee the scene in a white Hyundai Elantra. Law enforcement was able to obtain the registration number from the vehicle which enabled them to find Evans and his codefendants. In an interview with law enforcement, Evans would admit to committing the SunTrust and BB&T bank robberies. The codefendants in this case were Clifton Harris, Stanley Kearney Jr. and Joshua Bailey. All three have pled guilty. Harris was sentenced to 81 months and Kearney was sentenced to 190 months. Bailey is awaiting sentencing.
Michael Easley, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, made the announcement after sentencing by Chief U.S. District Judge Richard E. Myers II. The Davie County Sheriff’s Office, the Raleigh, Greenville and Mebane Police Departments, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation 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. 4:20-CR-00071-M
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Triangle CEO Sentenced for Filing False Tax ReturnsRead the Press Release
NEW BERN, N.C. – Raleigh business owner Alton Perkins, was sentenced today to 24 months in prison for failing to account for approximately $3 million diverted from his companies for his own personal use between 2015 and 2018. Perkins was also ordered to make restitution to the Internal Revenue Service in the amount of $520,344 for taxes owed from 2015-2018.
“We are holding accountable tax cheats who avoid paying their fair share,” said U.S. Attorney Michael Easley. “This CEO diverted company money to fund vacations, expensive jewelry and private school tuition. His attempts to defraud the government have led to time in federal prison.”
According to evidence summarized in court, Perkins moved large amounts of money from his business accounts into his personal bank accounts. These funds were then used for personal expenditures, including the purchase of a Wake Forest home, Rolex watches, vacations, and private school tuition. None of the approximately three million dollars spent by Perkins on these personal items was accounted for in his taxes filed with the Internal Revenue Service.
Perkins is the chairman and CEO of AmericaTowne, a company, according to its website, focused on increasing exports of American products to China. AmericaTowne, which was funded by investor dollars, included a plan to build an American-style community in China that would include hotels, small businesses, and a theme park. Perkins is currently involved in a civil lawsuit with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (Case No. 5:19-CV-00243-FL) over the unregistered private placement offerings and the sale of securities for AmericaTowne and other business entities controlled by Perkins.
Perkins pled guilty on December 12, 2022 to a felony charge of Making and Subscribing a False Tax Return Under Penalty of Perjury, for his failure to account for his personal expenditures on his 2016 personal income tax return. According to evidence presented in court, for tax year 2016, Perkins stated that his total income was $21,933. However, banking records show that Perkins spent $1,208,394 that year on personal items including, a golf cart, a family trip to Hawaii, private high school tuition, and a Rolex – all with funds taken from his corporate bank accounts.
Michael Easley, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, made the announcement after United States District Judge Louise W. Flanagan pronounced the sentence. The Internal Revenue Service investigated the case and Assistant U.S. Attorneys William M. Gilmore and Karen Haughton prosecuted the case.
Related court documents and information are located on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No 5:22-CR-00265-FL.
High Point Man Sentenced for Hacking Snapchat Account of Soldier and Selling Nude Images of VictimsRead the Press Release
NEW BERN, N.C. – A High Point man was sentenced yesterday to 13 months in prison and 3 years’ supervised release for two counts of computer fraud and abuse and one count of wire fraud. On October 6, 2022, Patrick Marquez Black pled guilty to the charges.
“We are targeting hackers and cybercriminals who invade privacy for cash,” said U.S. Attorney Michael Easley. “This defendant hacked the Snapchat of an active-duty soldier, used her account to steal from her friends, sold her photos for cash and violated her privacy. Our cyber-prosecutors are partnering with law enforcement to ensure that the world wide web does not become the wild, wild west.”
According to court documents and other information presented in court, Black, 30, hacked into the Snapchat account of a female soldier stationed at Ft. Bragg, NC, and changed the password to lock the victim out of her account. Once he gained access, Black used the account in three ways. First, he pretended to be the victim and requested her Snapchat friends send money to CashApp and other online money accounts to cover the costs of a fake emergency. Second, he shared and sold nude images and videos of the victim that he was able to access from the Snapchat account. Third, he used her account to obtain the username and password of other Snapchat accounts as well as nude images and videos of other victims. This activity occurred for at least three years.
Due to the actions of this defendant, nude images and videos of the victim were seen by co-workers, friends, and family members. She was threatened by people who believed that they had loaned her money, and she had not paid them back. She paid over $300 to her friends as “re-payment” for the money the defendant stole. While serving in the U.S. Army, the defendant caused this victim mental and emotional damage.
Michael Easley, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Louise W. Flanagan. US Army CID investigated the case and Assistant U.S. Attorney Brad DeVoe prosecuted the case.
Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:21-CR-141.
Former Raleigh Police Officer Pleads Guilty to Drug Trafficking and Firearms Charges, Barred from Law Enforcement CertificationRead the Press Release
WILMINGTON, N.C. – Keven Rodriguez, a former Raleigh Police Department officer, pled guilty today to three drug trafficking and firearms charges for distributing cocaine while working on duty in his position as a Field Operations Division Officer. He also pled guilty to possession of contraband while in prison after a search of his jail cell found smoking paraphernalia. As a condition of his plea, Rodriguez has agreed to permanently surrender his law enforcement certification and will be permanently barred from any law enforcement certification in the State of North Carolina from either the Criminal Justice Commission or the Sheriffs’ Commission. Rodriguez faces at least ten years in prison when sentenced later this year.
“Keven Rodriguez violated his sworn oath to protect and serve,” said U.S. Attorney Michael Easley. “He will never again wear the badge and never again tarnish the honorable profession of policing to which countless brave men and women have committed their lives. I commend the Raleigh Police Department for taking quick action when they first learned of the allegations against this rogue officer. That enabled us to move quickly to get a criminal off the streets and behind bars where he belongs.”
“Mr. Rodriguez’s actions betrayed public trust, dishonored the oath he swore to uphold, and discredited his character,” said Raleigh Police Chief Estella D. Patterson. “I am pleased to see that justice was served and appropriately administered in this case. I am extremely grateful for the strong relationships with our local, state, and federal partners. Together, we will continue to remove individuals, such as Mr. Rodriquez, from our community and the law enforcement profession.”
Robert J. Murphy, the Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Division commented, “This officer violated his oath to protect and serve. His actions do not reflect the honest and hardworking men and women of law enforcement.”
According to court documents and other information presented in court, Rodriguez was on duty and employed as a patrol officer with the Raleigh Police Department when he sold cocaine to a confidential informant on January 24, 2022. Rodriguez sold 56 grams of cocaine while in uniform with his duty issued firearm. Rodriguez then sold cocaine to the confidential informant on two other occasions, February 2, 2022 and February 8, 2022 while still employed with the Raleigh Police Department. Rodriguez was arrested on February 23, 2022.
While awaiting trial on the drug and gun charge, Rodriguez was being held at the Sampson County Jail when his jail cell was searched and corrections officers located smoking paraphernalia in his jail cell.
Today, Rodriguez pled guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute five hundred (500) grams or more of cocaine, distribution of a quantity of cocaine, use of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense and possession of contraband while in prison.
The prosecution of Rodriguez was a part of an Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force Operation (OCDETF). OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launders, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks
Michael Easley, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after arraignment today by Chief United States District Judge Richard E. Myers II. The Drug Enforcement Administration and the Raleigh Police Department led the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kelly L. Sandling prosecuted the case.
Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:22-CR-00049-M
Nash County Armed Meth Trafficker Sentenced to 15 Years in Prison for Trafficking Kilograms of the DrugRead the Press Release
RALEIGH, N.C. – A Nash County man was sentenced yesterday to 180 months in prison for his role in a methamphetamine trafficking conspiracy with direct ties to Mexico. On December 7, 2022, Sean Jermaine Mills pled guilty to conspiring to distribute methamphetamine, possessing methamphetamine with the intent to distribute, and possessing a firearm to further his drug trafficking activity.
According to court documents and other information presented in court, Mills, 41, sold methamphetamine in May of 2022 to an undercover Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) agent who had ordered the substance directly from a supplier in Mexico. On May 17, 2022, investigators with DEA and the Nash County Sheriff’s Office executed search warrants at Mills’ residences in Nashville and Castalia where they seized approximately 2.5 kilograms of crystal methamphetamine, 4.4 kilograms of cocaine, 82 grams of crack cocaine, five firearms, and $54,520 in U.S. currency.
“I commend the hard work from the Nash County Sheriff's Office, Drug Enforcement Administration, and the United States Attorney’s Office,” said Nash County Sheriff Keith Stone. “We strive to build strong partnerships with our federal and local agencies to prevent criminals like this from destroying our communities.”
Michael Easley, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Terrence W. Boyle. The Drug Enforcement Administration and the Nash County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case and Assistant U.S. Attorney Caroline Webb prosecuted the case.
Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:22-CR-183-BO.
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Snow Hill Man Sentenced to Prison for Role in COVID-19 Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
NEW BERN, N.C. – A Snow Hill man was sentenced today to 31 months in prison and ordered to pay restitution for laundering fraudulently obtained Economic Injury Disaster Loan (“EIDL”) benefits. On November 8, 2022, Dexter Duncan pled guilty.
“This defendant used stolen identities to create fictitious businesses so he could divert taxpayer money intended to support small businesses challenged by the COVID-19 pandemic to himself,” said U.S. Attorney Easley. “My office will continue to make the investigation and prosecution of COVID-19 fraud a top priority.”
According to court documents and other information presented in court, Duncan, 24, conspired with others to apply for EIDL funds on behalf of fictitious companies and using stolen identities. Several of the EIDL applications were approved, and $180,988 in loan proceeds was disbursed to bank accounts owned and/or controlled by Duncan, who was not employed at the time but was known live a lavish lifestyle.
Michael Easley, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Louise W. Flanagan. The Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigations, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, and the Harnett County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case and 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. 5:22-CR-00196-FL.
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Hampstead Woman Sentenced to Prison for Disaster FraudRead the Press Release
RALEIGH, N.C. – A Hampstead woman was sentenced today to 12 months and 1 day in prison, followed by five years of supervised release for fraudulent disaster assistance claims following Hurricane Florence. On November 17, 2022, Dishawn Batts pled guilty. As part of the judgment, Batts was also ordered to pay $24,835.50 in criminal restitution to the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
"This defendant schemed to steal from a taxpayer-funded program that was intended to help displaced families recover from a natural disaster by providing necessary housing and utility assistance,” said U.S. Attorney Michael Easley. “Now, she will be housed in a federal prison and required to repay every penny she stole."
Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Inspector General, Dr. Joseph V. Cuffari, said, “I appreciate the continued partnership between DHS OIG and the Justice Department. Defrauding the U.S. government is unconscionable. This guilty plea should serve as a deterrent to individuals intent on fleecing our federal system.”
According to court documents and other information presented in court, in an application for Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) disaster assistance, Batts falsely claimed she had been displaced by Hurricane Florence and was living in a temporary rental residence. Her initial application was approved, and Batts was awarded funds for personal property damage and two months of rental assistance. From September 15, 2018 to November 27, 2019, Batts submitted a series of claims for continued rental assistance wherein Batts falsely represented that she remained displaced and unable to return to her primary residence. In support of these claims, Batts submitted fraudulent documentation including phony lease agreements, rental receipts, utilities records, and Social Security Administration records. As a result, Batts received $24,835.50 in assistance for which she did not qualify.
The FEMA is an agency of the United States Department of Homeland Security. FEMA administers disaster assistance to individuals in areas declared by the President as an emergency or major disaster. FEMA offers different types of assistance to people in disaster areas, including through the Individuals and Households Program (IHP), which provides for financial assistance and other services to eligible individuals for losses caused by a disaster that were not covered by insurance or other assistance programs. One component of IHP, Financial Housing Assistance, provided funds to
eligible applicants who lack the means to meet serious needs, including housing-related expenses such as home repair and replacement costs, and rental assistance for temporary housing accommodations while an applicant was displaced from their primary residence. Individuals awarded rental assistance through IHP can reapply for continued temporary rental assistance.
Between September 12, 2018 and September 15, 2018, Hurricane Florence impacted the coast North Carolina, resulting in Major Disaster Declaration [DR-4393] for Eastern North Carolina counties. As a result of the declaration, individuals in areas affected by Hurricane Florence were eligible to apply for disaster assistance from FEMA.
Michael Easley, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge James C. Dever III. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Office of Inspector General investigated the case and Assistant U.S. Attorney Toby Lathan prosecuted the case.
Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 7:22-CR-00068-D.
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Five Time Wilmington Felon Receives 63 Months for Gun OffenseRead the Press Release
WILMINGTON, N.C. – A Wilmington man was sentenced today to 63 months in federal prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm. On February 7, 2022, Terry Earl Hooper, Jr., age 35, pled guilty to the charge.
According to court documents and other information presented in court, on October 4, 2021, officers with the Wilmington Police Department stopped a vehicle driven by Terry Earl Hooper for a window tint violation. In a subsequent search of the vehicle, officers located five oxycodone hydrochloride pills, ten alprazolam pills, and a semi-automatic firearm with a laser attachment.
Mr. Hooper has multiple prior felony convictions, including possession of a gun on educational property, attempted robbery with a dangerous weapon, assault with a deadly weapon inflicting serious injury, selling or delivering a schedule I controlled substance, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
Michael Easley, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Louise W. Flanagan. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), the Wilmington Police Department’s Gun Crime Task Force, and the Wilmington Police Department and New Hanover County Sheriff Office Mobile Field Force Unit investigated the case and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney William Van Trigt prosecuted the case. Van Trigt is a prosecutor with the New Hanover County District Attorney’s Office assigned to the U.S. Attorney’s Office to prosecute federal violent crimes and other criminal matters. This has been made possible by a grant funded by New Hanover County.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 7:21-cr-00142-FL.
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Wilmington Gang Member Gets More than Nine Years in Federal Prison for Possession of a Firearm by a FelonRead the Press Release
RALEIGH, N.C. – Tyzheem Nixon, 27, of Wilmington, was sentenced on Friday to 114 months in prison for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Nixon is a validated member of the Bloods street gang. He pled guilty to the charge on September 15, 2022.
“We are working closely with our law enforcement partners at every level to put violent criminals behind bars,” said Michael Easley. “If you are a felon in possession of a firearm, we will bring federal charges that carry significant penalties.”
“Disrupting drug trafficking networks has a significant impact on reducing violent gun crime”, said Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Special Agent in Charge Bennie Mims. “Through collaborative efforts, we are stopping the gang members and drug traffickers responsible for violent crime in our communities.”
“Mr. Nixon is a career criminal and validated gang member with a very violent history,” said District Attorney Ben David. “Removing him from our community for the next decade is exactly why we invest in this partnership.”
According to court documents and other information presented in court, the New Hanover County Sheriff’s Office received information in late November of 2020, that Nixon was among those involved in a shooting in the Wilmington area. At the time, Nixon was on post supervision release and was believed to have removed his ankle monitor. On December 17, 2020, the United States Marshal’s Service (USMS) Fugitive Task Force received information regarding Nixon’s location. The USMS and sheriff’s deputies conducted a traffic stop on a car in which Nixon was a passenger. During a search of the car, law enforcement found a loaded handgun with a large capacity magazine.
Nixon has prior felony convictions for discharging a weapon into an occupied property and assault with a deadly weapon (2014). Nixon was on post supervision release for these charges at the time he committed this federal offense. Nixon is also facing charges for felonious possession of a weapon by a prisoner after allegedly possessing a handmade shank while being held at the New Hanover County Detention Center.
This is part of operation “Golfer” which is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and
dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launders, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
Michael Easley, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Louise W. Flanagan. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms and the New Hanover and Brunswick County Sheriffs’ Offices investigated the case and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Timothy Severo and Gabe Diaz prosecuted the case.
Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 7:21-CR-00104-D.
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Fayetteville Man Sentenced to More Than 19 Years After Undercover Operation Reveals Sexual Video Chats with Young GirlsRead the Press Release
NEW BERN, N.C. – David Leon Autry, III, of Fayetteville was sentenced Wednesday to 235 months in prison for production of child pornography. Autry, 34, pled guilty to the charge on October 20, 2021.
According to court documents and other information presented in court, on February 16, 2020, an undercover FBI agent operating out of Albany, New York, was investigating child exploitation activity on the Kik cellphone messaging application. The undercover joined a Kik group that was known to be frequented by people who have a sexual interest in children and created a post about a fictitious nine-year-old daughter. Shortly thereafter, a user later identified as Autry sent a private message to the undercover asking, “Any pics vids.” Autry proceeded to explain that his favorite age range was 6-13 years old and that he watched a large amount of child pornography. Autry also sent the undercover multiple videos in which adult males sexually abused infants. At the undercover agent’s request, Autry provided a photograph of himself as well as an email address and other social media information. FBI then identified Autry through administrative subpoenas.
On March 18, 2020, FBI agents located Autry at his place of work in Fayetteville to execute a search warrant on his cell phone. Autry denied having a cell phone on him. He then said that he needed to use the restroom, and when he turned to leave, agents spotted a black cell phone in his back pocket. Agents seized the phone, and Autry attempted to wrestle it from them before being brought to the ground and handcuffed.
A forensic analyst uncovered over 100 files of child sexual abuse material on the phone, including 45 unique videos. Investigators discovered that Autry himself had created numerous files by taking screenshots of his activity on an anonymous video chat application. In these images, Autry video chats with girls who appear to be as young as 11, as they display their genitals and engage in other sexual activity.
Michael Easley, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Louise W. Flanagan. The Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated the case, which Assistant U.S. Attorney Jake D. Pugh prosecuted.
Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:21-cr-0030-FL.
Coats Drug Dealer Sentenced to More Than 12 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
RALEIGH, N.C. – A Coats man was sentenced today to 150 months in prison for dealing crystal methamphetamine in 2021. On October 6, 2022, Richard Gordon Frame, 35, pled guilty to the charges.
According to court documents and other information presented in court, a multi-agency investigation identified that Frame and co-defendant Christopher McNeill (charged separately) were trafficking large quantities of methamphetamine in Harnett County. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives made multiple controlled purchases of 100% pure crystal methamphetamine from Frame who was supplied by McNeill. A total of 194.9 grams of the substance was purchased.
Frame was previously convicted of assault with a deadly weapon, larceny, trespassing, and additional drug possession charges. Details of McNeill’s sentencing in this case and prior conviction information can be found here.
Michael Easley, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge James C. Dever III. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, Coats Police Department, Dunn Police Department, Harnett County Sherriff’s Department, and the State Bureau of Investigation investigated the case and Assistant U.S. Attorney Casey L. Peaden prosecuted the case.
Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:22-cr-00174-D-BM.
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Army Servicemember Stationed at Fort Bragg Indicted in Connection with Romance Scams and COVID-19 Assistance FraudRead the Press Release
RALEIGH, N.C. – Sanda G. Frimpong, 33, was arrested Wednesday upon the unsealing of a 19-count indictment that included charges of Money Laundering, Fraud, Conspiracy, Aggravated Identity Theft, and Access Device Fraud in connection with multiple interstate and international fraud and money-laundering scams. Frimpong, an active duty servicemember stationed at Fort Bragg in Fayetteville, faces between up to ten and up to twenty years in prison per count, and potential fines.
“Online romance scams are increasingly targeting lonely, vulnerable, and often elderly victims,” stated US Attorney Michael Easley. “Our office is committed to seeking justice for fraud victims just as we are to prosecuting those who took advantage of programs intended to help unemployed and underemployed folks who struggled through the COVID-19 pandemic.”
According to the indictment, Frimpong and other conspirators, engaged in elaborate scams, impersonating romantic love interests, diplomats, customs personnel, military personnel, and other fictitious personas for the purpose of ensnaring their victims by earning their confidence, including promises of romance, sharing of an inheritance or other riches, or other scenarios intended to fraudulently induce the victims to provide money or property to the conspirators. Frimpong allegedly laundered hundreds of thousands of dollars in proceeds of these frauds through his various bank accounts across state lines and through contacts in Ghana.
Additionally, in a separate scam, according to the indictment, Frimpong and other conspirators fraudulently applied for unemployment assistance in various states, using stolen identities. This fraud included allegedly obtaining over $100,000 in funds intended for those struggling through the COVID-19 pandemic and made available via the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (the “CARES Act”).
Frimpong was indicted on three counts of money laundering; seven counts of wire fraud; three counts of mail fraud; one count of conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud; three counts of aggravated identity theft; and two counts of access device fraud. Arraignment before United States District Judge James C. Dever III is scheduled to occur later this year.
Michael Easley, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after United States Magistrate Judge James E. Gates presided over Frimpong’s Initial Appearance. Defense Criminal Investigative Service is leading the investigation with the assistance of the Department of Labor, Office of the Inspector General, and Assistant U.S. Attorney David G. Beraka is prosecuting the case.
Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 5-23-CR-35-D.
An indictment is merely an accusation. The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.
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Wake County Man Convicted of 1995 Bombing at BTI Building Resentenced to More Than 37 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
NEW BERN, N.C. – Stephan Bullis, the man convicted in the July 1995 bombing at the then Business Telecom, Inc. (BTI) building located in North Raleigh, was resentenced on Friday to 450 months in prison followed by five years of supervised release. Today’s sentence will keep him in prison for an additional 10 years. Bullis, now 58, was originally convicted of six charges related to the incident following a jury trial in February 1996. At the time, he was sentenced to a mandatory life sentence, followed by consecutive terms of 30 years and 235 months. Due to changes in the law, two charges were vacated in September 2022, leaving only the 235-month sentence standing. At that time, the Court set the matter for resentencing.
“Stephan Bullis caused terror in the Raleigh community because the pipe bomb at BTI came only a few short months after the Oklahoma City bombing and at a time when the infamous ‘Unabomber’ was at large,” said U.S. Attorney Michael Easley. “At the original sentencing, the Judge noted the heinous nature of the crime, the number of victims and potential victims, as well as the defendant’s lack of remorse. The defendant knowingly risked harm to countless individuals and inflicted psychological trauma on numerous others. This new sentence holds Bullis accountable for his horrific actions and keeps him behind bars where he belongs.”
According to court documents and other information presented in court, Bullis mailed two pipe bombs on or around Friday, July 7, 1995. The first package, addressed to his then wife – an employee of BTI, detonated when she opened it on Monday, July 10, 1995. The explosion destroyed most of his wife’s left hand, a portion of her upper right arm and caused numerous cuts, burns and bruises across her body. The bomb also injured a nearby colleague. The second bomb was found in an out-of-service United States Postal Service Collection bin located at Crabtree Valley Mall on July 25, 1995. The second bomb was found 10 days after the arrest of Bullis, who did nothing to warn authorities of the second pipe bomb package even though it was in a public space where an explosion had the potential to injure numerous individuals.
Evidence presented at trial showed that Mr. Bullis had begun an affair with a clerk at a video rental store and had recently increased the payout on his wife’s life insurance policy. In the months before the bombing, he began purchasing books such as “The Poor Man’s James Bond” and “The Anarchist Cookbook,” which both include designs and instructions for making explosive devices. In the month immediately before the attack, Bullis learned that his wife’s company had increased her work-funded life insurance policy and included a double-indemnity clause in the event of an accidental death. Statements made by Bullis indicated that he believed the accidental death needed to occur while his wife was at work for the double indemnity clause to apply.
Several victims of the bombing incident, including the defendant’s former wife and co-workers who were present, spoke or provided statements at the resentencing recounting the physical and psychological impacts of the crime that they experience to this day. As one victim impact statement said, “He acted with total disregard for all the people that would forever be affected by this crime…”
Bullis was convicted of six counts including two counts of mailing a pipe bomb with intent to kill another, one count of arson resulting in injury to another person, one count of attempted arson and two counts of use of a destructive device during a crime of violence. Bullis’ conviction has been upheld by the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals and the U.S. Supreme Court declined to review the case.
Michael Easley, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Louise W. Flanagan. The United States Postal Inspection Service, the Bureau of Alcohol, Firearms, Tobacco and Explosives (ATF), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Raleigh Police Department originally investigated the case and Assistant U.S. Attorney Dennis Duffy and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Casey Peaden handled the resentencing.
Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:95-CR-00142-FL.
Former Correctional Officer Sentenced to More than Six Years for Smuggling Greeting Cards Laced with Drugs into PrisonRead the Press Release
NEW BERN, N.C. –Leann Little, 37, of Lumberton was sentenced yesterday to 75 months in prison for drug and money laundering crimes for providing contraband to inmates in North Carolina prisons. Little previously pled guilty to the charges.
In December of 2019, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the North Carolina Department of Public Safety (NCDPS) initiated an investigation involving the distribution of illicit contraband in prisons throughout North Carolina. The evidence revealed that Little, a former correctional officer and postal contractor, conspired with inmates to send them 45-MDMB-BINACA, a synthetic cannabinoid that is smoked for psychoactive effects. The inmates would place the orders over the phone and use CashApp to pay Little. Little would obtain greeting cards or paper, spray them with liquid 45-MDMB-BINACA and mail them to inmates in state corrections facilities. The cards were then cut into dosage units and consumed or used for currency.
Little pled guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute a quantity of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of 4F-MDMB-BINACA, distributing a quantity of a mixture and sub substance containing a detectable amount of 4F-MDMB-BINACA and money laundering conspiracy.
Michael Easley, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Louise W. Flanagan. The Federal Bureau of Investigation, the North Carolina Department of Public Safety and the United States Postal Inspection Service Office of Inspector General investigated the case and Assistant U.S. Attorney Chad Rhoades prosecuted the case.
Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 7:20-CR-199-FL.
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Armed Drug Trafficker Who Previously Shot a Wilmington Officer Sentenced to More Than Seven Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
NEW BERN, N.C. – Kenneth Brown, 41, of Wilmington North Carolina, was sentenced yesterday to 87 months in prison for conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribution of 28 grams or more of cocaine base, five counts of distribution of a quantity of cocaine base and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Brown, a validated member of the United Blood Nation gang, was convicted in 2003 on state charges for shooting at a law enforcement officer and received a sentence of more than 15 years in state prison.
According to court documents, evidence presented in court and other documents, on June 23, 2021, Brown sold 13 grams of cocaine base to an undercover Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) agent in Brunswick County. During the deal, Brown indicated that he was involved in trafficking guns to New York. On June 30, 2021, Brown sold an additional 13 grams of cocaine base to the same ATF agent. Brown and the agent discussed the sale of a firearm. Brown pulled out a loaded Glock 9mm handgun. The agent attempted to purchase the gun, but Brown declined to sell it. Brown indicated that the gun was registered to his girlfriend. Brown, as a convicted felon, is prohibited from possessing a firearm. Brown sold the agent 26 grams of cocaine base on August 5 and 18. During the last deal, Brown did not produce the amount agreed initially so he retrieved some additional cocaine and cooked it into cocaine base. Brown’s girlfriend who was present during the deal said that Brown was a master crack cooker and she had seen him do on a number of occasions.
On October 9, 2021, law enforcement conducted a traffic stop on a car driven by Brown. During a search of the car, law enforcement found a loaded HK 9mm handgun.
On March 15, 2022, Brown was arrested on federal charges and found in possession of a revolver. On March 16, 2022, law enforcement served two search warrants at residences associated with Brown. During a search at an apartment in Wilmington, law enforcement found a loaded Glock 9mm handgun, a loaded rifle with a large capacity magazine and more than 100 rounds of additional ammunition. During a search of a different apartment in Wilmington, law enforcement found more than 65 grams of cocaine.
This is part of operation “Golfer” which is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launders, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
Michael Easley, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Louise W. Flanagan. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms and the New Hanover and Brunswick County Sheriffs’ Office investigated the case and Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy Severo and Gabe Diaz prosecuted the case.
Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 7:22-CR-00011-FL.
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Ringleader of Multi-State Gun Trafficking Scheme Sentenced to More Than 10 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
NEW BERN, N.C. – The ringleader of a multi-state gun trafficking scheme was sentenced today to 127 months in prison for illegally trafficking more than 100 guns bought by straw purchasers in Eastern North Carolina. Jacintre Holley of Middletown, Connecticut, pled guilty to engaging in the business of dealing firearms without a license, possession with intent to distribute cocaine, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of the drug trafficking crime. Holley, 26, pled guilty on July 7, 2022.
“Dangerous felons who are blocked from legally buying guns are turning to gun traffickers and straw purchasers in North Carolina to supply them with the tools to kill,” said U.S. Attorney Michael Easley. “The criminal conduct in this case put guns bought in Eastern North Carolina in the hands of a killer in Connecticut – within 6 days. This case shows exactly why Attorney General Garland and ATF Director Dettelbach have made stopping gun trafficking a top priority. We and the ATF are relentlessly pursuing violent felons and the gunrunners and straw purchasers who arm them.”
“A federal firearms license is required for anyone engaged in the business of selling firearms,” said Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Special Agent in Charge Bennie Mims. “Individuals selling without a license often means firearms end up in the wrong hands. By identifying and apprehending those involved in illegal firearms sales, we disrupt the firearms trafficking networks and better protect our communities.”
According to documents and other information presented in court, Holley bought over 100 firearms from straw purchasers in North Carolina—including at least 37 from codefendant Keshawn Squire and another 34 from codefendants Jasnika Craig and Shyheim Williams. Craig and Williams were romantic partners living together in Williamston, North Carolina. Ten of these firearms were recovered in separate investigations in Connecticut and New Jersey, including a murder investigation and several drug investigations.
This gun trafficking investigation began when the Middletown, Connecticut Police Department recovered a Taurus 9mm pistol used in a murder. A trace of the gun’s serial number showed that Keshawn Squire purchased the firearm in North Carolina on May 10, 2021, only six days before the murder. Trace records for Squire further showed that he had purchased at least 16 firearms in the five months between December 13, 2020, and May 29, 2021, suggesting potential gun trafficking.
Surveillance video from Smokin' Barrel Gun and Ammo in Raleigh, where Squire had purchased the Taurus, showed that he made a phone call from the store parking lot immediately after buying the firearm. Call records revealed that he called a Connecticut phone number. By comparing phone records and data from a mobile payment application, investigators were able to link the Connecticut phone number to defendant Jacintre Holley. Records also revealed that Squire and Holley had as a mutual contact a phone number associated with codefendants Jasnika Craig and Shyheim Williams.
Trace records for Craig showed that she made over 20 firearm purchases in North Carolina since 2020. Law enforcement recovered one of those guns at a crime scene in Connecticut within five days of its purchase. Investigators obtained video surveillance from Academy Sports in Greenville for purchases by Craig on May 11 and 14, 2021. The May 14 footage shows Craig and Williams arrive in the same car. Williams then went alone into the store for 25 minutes while Craig waited in the car. Then Craig entered and immediately bought two pistols.
On July 8, 2021, the North Carolina Department of Public Safety conducted a probation search at Williams’ and Craig’s Williamston home. Williams was on state probation for a driving while impaired conviction. Officers found seven firearms hidden in the home.
Craig agreed to a recorded interview and admitted to selling firearms. She said she sold firearms for a significant premium over market price and had purchased them from various locations including Academy Sports. Williams identified the guns she should buy and set up the deals, which took place in Craig’s car in their driveway. She admitted that almost all firearms went to Holley, who she estimated had come from Connecticut every two weeks since December 2020 to buy around seven firearms each time. In total, Craig estimated that she had sold around 100 firearms to Holley.
Also on July 8, 2021, law enforcement executed a search warrant for Squire’s telephone and interviewed Squire at his home. Squire admitted to selling multiple firearms to Holley in at least three meetings beginning in March 2021. He said he did this as a business and sold the firearms for significantly higher than the purchase price.
On July 31, 2021, the Greenville Police Department located Holley driving on University Suites Drive and conducted a traffic stop based on an outstanding warrant. Officers searched the car and found a Glock 19 pistol with an extended magazine in a bookbag in the front seat. The pistol had been modified to function as a fully automatic machine gun. In an iPhone box within the same bag, officers found 109 grams of cocaine, a digital scale with white residue, a Glock magazine, over $13,000, and a key to a room at a Quality Inn. Officers obtained and executed a search warrant for the hotel room, where they found a Glock .40 caliber pistol. A trace of Glock .40 revealed that Jasnika Craig had purchased it.
Investigators interviewed Holley after his arrest. He confirmed that he had bought firearms from Squire and Williams multiple times over the previous several months and sold those firearms in Connecticut. He admitted to possessing the Glock from the hotel room, claimed that he carried the automatic Glock machine gun in his car for protection, admitted buying the cocaine while in North Carolina. He acknowledged sometimes receiving cocaine as payment in firearm transactions.
Michael Easley, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Louise W. Flanagan. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) field offices in Raleigh, NC, New Haven, CT and Hartford, CT investigated the case, with assistance from the Middletown, CT Police Department, the Martin County, NC Sheriff’s Office, the NC Department of Probation Services and the Williamston, NC and Greenville, NC Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jake D. Pugh prosecuted the case.
The court previously sentenced Squire and Craig after they each pled guilty to one count of making a false statement during the purchase of a firearm. On February 14, 2023, Craig received a 24-month sentence for that offense, and Squire received an 18-month sentence the same day. Shyheim Williams was arrested federally on February 9, 2023, and his arraignment is set for the April 11, 2023, term of court.
Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 4:22-cr-0019-FL.
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High-Ranking Blood Gang Member Sentenced to More Than 17 Years for Armed Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
ELIZABETH CITY, N.C. – Darrick Charles, 31, of Wilmington, was sentenced to 210 months in prison for drug trafficking and gun charges. According to law enforcement, Charles was a high-ranking member of the United Blood Nation in Wilmington. Charles was ultimately apprehended by U.S. Marshals in Leland following a high-speed chase.
“Putting a stop to this high-ranking gang member’s criminal conduct is a victory for the citizens of Eastern North Carolina,” said U.S. Attorney Michael Easley. “Charles recklessly led police a high-speed chase through a residential neighborhood, then fled with a stolen gun. Today’s sentence is a warning. You gamble with your life and your future when you deal in gangs, guns, and drugs.”
According to court documents, evidence presented in court, and other documents, between February 12, 2020, and June 2, 2020, law enforcement made five controlled purchases of heroin from Charles in Wilmington. During a sale on February 19, 2020, Charles possessed a 9mm handgun while he sold a confidential informant a quantity of heroin. On February 24, 2020, law enforcement also purchased a handgun from Charles, who said during the deal that the buyer did not have to worry about the gun being stolen because his girlfriend is able to purchase them legally. Charles is prohibited from possessing firearms because of a prior conviction for manufacturing, selling, distributing, or possessing a controlled substance within 1,000 feet of a school and possession with intent to distribute heroin.
On June 4, 2020, law enforcement served a search warrant at Charles’ residence in Brunswick County. Law enforcement found three firearms and materials used for the distribution of heroin. An arrest warrant was ordered by the court for his failure to comply with his conditions of release for the previous charges.
On April 4, 2021, U.S. Marshals located Charles operating a vehicle in Leland, NC and attempted to stop him. Charles refused to stop and fled, driving in excess of 95 miles per hour in a residential area until he stopped near a wooded area and fled on foot. Charles was apprehended by the Marshals following a foot chase. While fleeing, Charles threw down a quantity of heroin and a loaded, stolen handgun. During the course of the investigation, law enforcement uncovered that Charles had made trips to
New Jersey and Greensboro to pick up heroin to be distributed in Eastern North Carolina.
On July 6, 2022, Charles pled guilty to five counts of distribution of a quantity of heroin, possession with intent to distribute a quantity of heroin, two counts of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and two counts of possession of a firearm during and in relation to a drug-trafficking crime.
This is part of “Operation Golfer,” which is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launders, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
Michael Easley, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Terrence W. Boyle. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the U.S. Marshals Service, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Wilmington Police Department, and the New Hanover and Brunswick County Sheriffs’ Offices investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Timothy Severo and Gabe Diaz prosecuted the case.
Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 7:21-cr-00120-BO-1.
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