Royster is currently serving the Eastern District of North Carolina and for the past three years has been the lead prosecuting attorney in Operation Burnout — an Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force targeting drug traffickers operating in and around Halifax and Nash Counties. Operation Burnout is being conducted by the FBI, Halifax County Sheriff’s Office, IRS-Criminal Investigative Division, Nash County Sheriff’s Office, Rocky Mount Police Department, and ATF.
To date, 32 drug traffickers from the area have been taken into federal custody as a result of this investigation. Twenty-two of these drug traffickers have already been adjudicated guilty and sentenced in federal court. Some are awaiting trial, and some have pleaded guilty and are awaiting their sentencing. During this investigation law enforcement agents have seized firearms, automobiles, money, drugs, and other property from these criminals. To date, due to the efforts and diligence of the task force members, they enjoy a 10 percent conviction rate in federal court.
“Without his persistence and help, we would have not been able to prosecute at the local level,” Sheriff Jeff Frazier, who attended the ceremony, said. “It’s made a difference with him working with us.”
Also attending were NSSAR National Trustee Samuel C. Powell, Halifax County Commissioner J. Rives Manning, an FBI representative, members of the Halifax County Sheriff’s department assigned to the task force and canine officer Josh.
There is to be no profanity and there is to be no character assassination even if the person being written about is a suspect in a crime.
Comments that presume knowledge of a person’s home life, financial situation or other personal details will be not be posted as will comments which presume legal knowledge.
All comments must be on the topic of the story and offer the reader’s insight on a particular issue. rrspin.com will cease posting comments if the editor determines readers are infighting with one another and not staying on the topic of a story.
rrspin.com prefers readers use their real names because anonymous posters are accountable for their comments just as readers who post their names are.