Raleigh Drug Dealer Sentenced

RALEIGH—United States Attorney Thomas G. Walker announced that in federal court on December 17, 2012, United States District Judge Terrence W. Boyle sentenced a defendant for drug trafficking and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. ANTOINE MAURICE TRYON RHODES, 36, of Raleigh, North Carolina, received 100 months’ imprisonment followed by three years’ supervised release.

A federal grand jury returned a criminal indictment on June 5, 2012, charging RHODES with violations of federal narcotics and firearm laws. RHODES entered a guilty plea on August 20, 2012 to possession with the intent to distribute a quantity of crack cocaine and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.

According to the investigation and evidence presented in court, RHODES is responsible for possessing and selling over 58 grams of crack cocaine and 207 grams of powder cocaine. United States currency and a firearm possessed unlawfully by RHODES were also seized.

Investigation of this case was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation-Raleigh Resident Agency and the Raleigh Police Department.

The federal prosecution was handled by Special Assistant United States Attorney Shawn Evans. Mr. Evans is a prosecutor with the Wake County District Attorney’s Office. District Attorney Colon Willoughby has assigned Mr. Evans to the United States Attorney’s Office to prosecute federal Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force criminal matters. This has been made possible by a grant funded by the Governor’s Crime Commission.