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Press Release

Wilmington Man Sentenced to More Than 18 Years for Drug Distribution and Firearm Charges

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

RALEIGH – The United States Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, Robert J. Higdon, Jr., announced that yesterday in federal court, Senior United States District Judge W. Earl Britt sentenced DARIUS J. WILLIAMS, 38, of Wilmington, to 225 months of imprisonment followed by 6 years of supervised release. 

WILLIAMS was named in an Indictment filed on July 19, 2017 charging him with Distribution of a Quantity of Heroin.  On September 27, 2017, WILLIAMS was also named in a two-count Criminal Information.  Count 1 charged Conspiracy to Distribute and Possession with Intent to Distribute a Quantity of Heroin, Cocaine Base, and Marijuana.  Count 2 charged Possession of a Firearm by Felon.  On September 27, 2017, WILLIAMS pled guilty to Counts 1 and 2 of the Criminal Information.

On February 21, 2017, agents with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) observed an individual using heroin in a restaurant parking lot in Wilmington.  His sleeve was rolled up, exposing his forearm, and 87 dosage units of heroin were in his lap.  The man informed the agents he was on federal supervised release.  The agents seized the evidence and took him into custody where he was debriefed.  Agents learned the individual was living in a federal halfway house, where he had previously purchased heroin from WILLIAMS, who was also on federal supervised release and living in the same house.

On February 23, 2017, the man assisted the FBI in their investigation of WILLIAMS. At the FBI’s instruction, and with their supervision, the man traveled to WILLIAMS' residence in Wilmington.  Upon arrival, he purchased 351 dosage units (9 grams) of heroin.  Before leaving, WILLIAMS told the man to call whenever more heroin was needed.  On June 26, 2017, agents coordinated with federal probation to place WILLIAMS under arrest at the probation office in Wilmington.

Following WILLIAMS' detention, law enforcement monitored a number of phone calls between WILLIAMS and associates under the belief that WILLIAMS was attempting to lead them to a location where narcotics were stored.  Law enforcement officers observed the associates park their vehicle near the address identified as belonging to WILLIAMS' mother.  The associates were detained upon leaving.  An examination of the vehicle recovered two plastic bags containing 91.78 grams of Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA), 33.68 grams of cocaine, 62.78 grams of marijuana, and a loaded .380 pistol which was later determined to be stolen.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the criminal investigation of this case.  Assistant United States Attorney Bradford Knott handled the prosecution of this case for the government. At sentencing, Judge Britt instructed that, among other reasons, WILLIAMS’S recidivism with serious drug trafficking felonies served as a basis for the sentence imposed.

Updated February 2, 2018

Topic
Opioids