High Ranking Gang Member Receives 12 Years in Federal Prison

RALEIGH — Robert J. Higdon, Jr., the United States Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, announces that Chief United States District Terrence Boyle sentenced ANDRE HALL, 31, of New Hanover County to 151 months’ imprisonment, followed by 3 years of supervised release.

HALL was charged in a one-count indictment which was returned by a federal grand jury sitting in the Eastern District of North Carolina on December 30, 2018.  The indictment charged HALL with possession with the intent to distribute a quantity of heroin.  HALL pled guilty to those charges on April 2, 2019.

 On December 2, 2018, law enforcement conducted a traffic stop on a car driven by HALL near the 600 block of Nixon Street in Wilmington, North Carolina.  The front passenger fled from law enforcement. The backseat passenger attempted to flee but was apprehended and found to be in possession of a stolen firearm with altered serial numbers.  HALL refused to comply with law enforcements commands.   HALL broke a deputy’s nose and finger while he was attempting to flee.  HALL was found in possession of 45 bags of heroin.  According to law enforcement HALL is a validated high ranking gang member.   

This case is part of an FBI lead OCDETF operation “Dodge Ball”. This is part of an extensive investigation by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF).  This investigation is focused on gang members involved in the distribution of heroin, possession of firearms and associated violence.

This case is 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 investigation of this case was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation Safe Street Task Force, the Wilmington Police Department and the New Hanover County Sheriff’s Office.  Assistant United States Attorney Timothy Severo prosecuted the case on behalf of the government.