WILMINGTON – United States Attorney Robert J. Higdon, Jr. announced that over the course of the last several months in federal court fourteen defendants have been sentenced in a large-scale heroin trafficking organization. 

The investigation was part of an Organized Crime Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation entitled Operation Dodgeball, which was named in part because of the organizations ability to dodge lengthy prisons sentences and sustained ability to wreak havoc in Wilmington.  An OCDETF investigation is a joint federal, state, and local cooperative approach to combat drug trafficking and is the nation’s primary tool for disrupting and dismantling major drug trafficking organizations, targeting national and regional level drug trafficking organizations, and coordinating the necessary law enforcement entities and resources to disrupt or dismantle the targeted criminal organization and seize their assets.

This case is a classic example of the combining of an OCDETF operation with our Take Back North Carolina Initiative.  Wilmington Police Task Force Officers were able to identify members and associates of this violent drug gang and then partner with the FBI and the United States Attorney’s Office to develop a strategy to dismantle this organization.  After being armed with this local intelligence, law enforcement was able to utilize the substantial resources and tools of the federal government to help break the back of this group which had been terrorizing Wilmington.  The success of this case would not have been possible without these partnerships.

The defendants’ convictions and sentencings were the culmination of an investigation that started in early 2018 focusing on associates of the United Blood Nation who were trafficking heroin and the violence associated with this group in and around Wilmington, North Carolina. GARRY HINES occupied a significant leadership role in the organization.    

As part of the investigation, federal and local law enforcement conducted multiple controlled purchases of heroin and a heroin/fentanyl mixture from organization members between April 2018 and August 2018.  They also conducted surveillance and performed several traffic stops.  

The FBI obtained authorization for a federal wiretap of a cellular phone associated with HINES in August 2018.   As a result, agents intercepted calls concerning heroin/fentanyl distribution, firearms and gang violence.  Based on the intercepted calls and other information law enforcement obtained a federal search warrant for a residence on North 5th Street that was used a stash house for heroin and firearms.  HINES and ANTWINE LUCAS were arrested following the search.

Law enforcement continued to make controlled purchases from other members of the organization at various location in Wilmington and conducted additional traffic stops recovering more firearms and drugs up to and including December 2018.

Nineteen defendants have plead in federal court and fourteen have been sentenced. According to law enforcement, the organization was responsible for the importation and distribution of more than 5 kilograms of heroin and heroin/fentanyl mixture. A total of 11 firearms have been seized.  Ballistic testing has determined that some of the firearms recovered during this Operation had previously been used in crimes of violence.

The defendants include:

GARRY HINES, aka “Rachet,” 26, of Wilmington, NC.  HINES pled guilty to three counts of distribution of a quantity of heroin.  HINES was sentenced to 276 months’ imprisonment.

ANTWINE LUCAS, aka “Big World,” 37, of Wilmington, NC. LUCAS pled guilty to conspiracy to possession with intent to distribute and distribute a quantity of heroin and distribution of a quantity of heroin.  LUCAS was sentenced to 188 months’ imprisonment.

ANTONIO FOSTER, 30, of Wilmington, NC.  FOSTER pled guilty to distribution of heroin and possession with intent to distribute heroin.  FOSTER was sentenced to 156 months’ imprisonment.

SAVON HARDAWAY, 24, of Wilmington, NC.  HARDAWAY pled guilty to three counts of distribution of a quantity of heroin and possession of a firearm by felon. HARDAWAY was sentenced to 151 months’ imprisonment.

ANDRE HALL, 32, of Wilmington, NC.  HALL pled guilty to possession with intent to distribute a quantity of heroin.  HALL was sentenced to 151 months’ imprisonment.

JOSHUA WRIGHT, 26, of Wilmington, NC. WRIGHT pled guilty to distribution of a quantity of heroin.  WRIGHT was sentenced to 151 months’ imprisonment.

 JAQUARIES WASHINGTON, 20, of Wilmington NC. WASHINGTON pled guilty to possession with intent to distribute a quantity of heroin.  WASHINGTON was sentenced to 132 months’ imprisonment.

TAVEON NIXON, 21, of Wilmington, NC. NIXON pled guilty to three counts of distribution of a quantity of heroin and possession with intent to a quantity of heroin and crack cocaine. NIXON was sentenced to 120 months’ imprisonment.

JACQUEZ HILL, 21 of Wilmington NC. HILL pled guilty to conspiracy to distribution of a quantity of heroin, distribution of heroin and possession with intent to distribute heroin.  HILL was sentenced to 120 months imprisonment.

MARCUS BERRY, 29, of Wilmington, NC.  BERRY pled guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute a quantity of heroin, distribution of a quantity of heroin and possession with the intent to distribute a quantity of heroin. BERRY was sentenced to 48 months’ imprisonment.

RAQUEL ADAMS, 22, of Wilmington, NC. ADAMS pled guilty to possess with the intent to distribute a quantity of heroin.  ADAMS was sentenced to 37 months’ imprisonment

ALICIA JOHNSON, 22, of Wilmington, NC. JOHNSON pled guilty to distribution of a quantity of heroin. JOHNSON was sentenced to 72 months’ imprisonment

KEVIN FREEMAN, aka “Glocky,” 24, of Wilmington, NC. FREEMAN pled guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute a quantity of heroin and distribution of a quantity of heroin.  FREEMAN was sentenced to 33 months’ imprisonment.

BARRY PIERCE, 23, of Wilmington, NC. PIERCE pled guilty to possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.  PIERCE was sentenced to 24 months’ imprisonment.

 

The remaining defendants are scheduled to be sentenced over the course of the next few months. 

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives (ATF), Wilmington Department, New Hanover County Sheriff’s Office, and the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation of this case.  Assistant United States Attorney Timothy Severo prosecuted this case on behalf of the government. 

The year 2020 marks the 150th anniversary of the Department of Justice.  Learn more about the history of our agency at www.Justice.gov/Celebrating150Years.

RALEIGH – United States Attorney Robert J. Higdon, Jr. announced that Chief United States District Judge Terrence W. Boyle sentenced JACQUEZ HILL, 21, of Wilmington North Carolina to 120 months imprisonment, followed by 3 years of supervised release.

HILL was named in an eleven-count indictment filed on February 13, 2019, charging him with conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute a quantity of heroin, eight-counts of distribution of heroin and one-count of possession with intent to distribute a quantity of heroin.  On June 11, 2019, HILL pled guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute a quantity of heroin, distribution of a quantity of heroin, and possession with intent to distribute a quantity of heroin. 

Between October 2017 and April 2018, the Wilmington Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) made ten controlled purchases of heroin from HILL at various locations in Wilmington, North Carolina.  During this period of time, HILL was wearing an ankle monitor related to North Carolina State Court convictions for possession with intent to deliver heroin and discharging a firearm into an occupied dwelling.  HILL discharged the firearm during a prior drug deal.

On January 17, 2019, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) agents and members of the New Hanover County Sheriff’s Office received information that Taveon Nixon was the passenger in a car driven by HILL.  Nixon had an outstanding federal arrest warrant.  Law enforcement attempted to stop the car at a gas station in New Hanover County in order to arrest Nixon.  HILL struck a law enforcement car while Nixon fled on foot.  HILL was removed from the car and placed under arrest.  Nixon was arrested on federal charges following a foot chase.   Raquel Adams, a back seat passenger, was found in possession of a quantity of heroin and United States Currency.  Law enforcement found an additional 250 heroin bindles and $2,500 in the car.  Nixon was sentenced in federal court last week and received a 10-year prison sentence.  More Here  Adams was sentenced yesterday and received 37months in federal prison.

On February 19, 2019, agents with ATF and the Wilmington Police Department attempted to arrest HILL near his apartment in the Mayfaire area of Wilmington.  HILL observed the officers and fled at a high rate of speed.  Agents were able to apprehend HILL later that evening.  Following HILL’S arrest, law enforcement found an additional quantity of heroin that HILL had hidden.

These cases are part of an FBI-led Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) operation named “Dodge Ball.”  This operation is focused on members of the Nine Trey sect of the United Blood Nation, a violent gang in Wilmington, North Carolina involved in the distribution of heroin, possession of firearms and associated violence.  This is a joint investigation by the FBI Safe Streets Task Force (Gang Unit), Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Wilmington Police Department, and New Hanover Sheriff’s Office.  The FBI Safe Streets Task Force and ATF utilize resources from federal, state, and local law enforcement in order to efficiently and effectively target and combat criminal gangs and drug trafficking organizations operating in coastal southern North Carolina.  A key component of federal task force’s success involves the use of task force officers from local law enforcement who have direct knowledge of the criminal gang activity in their areas.

These cases are also part of the Take Back North Carolina Initiative of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of North Carolina.  This initiative emphasizes the regional assignment of federal prosecutors to work with law enforcement and District Attorney’s Offices on a sustained basis in those communities to reduce the violent crime rate, drug trafficking, and crimes against law enforcement.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation Safe Streets Task Force, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, New Hanover County Sheriff’s Office, Wilmington Police Department, and North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation investigated this case.  Assistant United States Attorney Timothy Severo prosecuted the case on behalf of the government.