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Press Release

Wilmington Gang Member Receives 13 Years in Federal Prison

For Immediate Release
U.S. Attorney's Office, Eastern District of North Carolina

RALEIGH – United States Attorney Robert J. Higdon, Jr. announced that on Friday in federal court, Chief United States District Judge Terrence W. Boyle sentenced ANTONIO FOSTER, 30, of Wilmington North Carolina to 156 months imprisonment, followed by 3 years of supervised release.

FOSTER was named in a two-count Indictment filed on March 13, 2019 charging him with distribution of a quantity of heroin and possess with the intent to distribute a quantity of heroin.  On  August 8, 2019, FOSTER pled guilty to distribution of a quantity of heroin and possess with the intent to distribute a quantity of heroin. 

According to the investigation, on January 23, 2019, the New Hanover County Vice Unit conducted a controlled purchase of heroin from FOSTER outside of an apartment complex in Wilmington North Carolina.

Following the sale of heroin, law enforcement served a search warrant on FOSTER’S apartment.  Law Enforcement found items used to manufacture heroin in a child’s closet and 500 bags of cocaine and almost 400 bags of heroin in a beanbag chair.  FOSTER had recently been released from prison for a North Carolina State Court conviction for habitual felon.  According to law enforcement, FOSTER is a validated Gang Member.

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.

This case is part of an FBI Coastal Carolina Safe Street Task Force 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 violent Gang Members involved in the distribution of heroin, possession of firearms and associated violence.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation Coastal Carolina Safe Street Task Force, the New Hanover County Sheriff’s Offices, and North Carolina State Bureau of Investigations conducted the investigation of this case.  Assistant United States Attorney Timothy Severo prosecuted the case on behalf of the government.

Updated December 16, 2019

Topic
Opioids