Cedric Sharrod Williams, 32, was sentenced today in federal court, according to a news release from United States Attorney Thomas G. Walker.
Derrick Lamont Hannon, 24, of Scotland Neck was sentenced previously along with Alonzo Keith Carter, 36 of Rocky Mount; Herman Lee Coley III, 40, of Rocky Mount; Jerry Keith Pittman Jr., 26, of Sharpsburg and Joseph Lamar Norris, 31, of Rocky Mount.
The charges, according to the statement, involved a large scale narcotics ring responsible for selling 2,493 grams of heroin, 255.15 grams of cocaine, and 49 grams of crack from sometime in 2011 until February 2014 centered in the Rocky Mount area.
“We are making a difference when it comes to getting major drug dealing organizations out of communities,” Walker said in the statement.
Rocky Mount Police Chief James Moore said in the statement. “We are working toward diminishing the quantity of illegal drugs that enter our city. However, it’s not just a Rocky Mount problem. It’s a North Carolina and an American problem and until we address the issue of the unquenchable thirst for drugs in this country, it will be a perpetual cycle of apprehension and distribution, no matter how much enforcement we do.”
All six defendants were sentenced by Senior Judge Malcolm J. Howard.
Williams was sentenced to 480 months.
Carter was sentenced to 120 months.
Hannon was sentenced to 66 months.
Coley was sentenced to 60 months.
Pittman was sentenced to 41 months.
Norris was sentenced to 18 months.
According to the investigation, the co-conspirators were members of a heroin trafficking organization organized by Williams and centered in the Rocky Mount area.
The conspirators were involved in the distribution of heroin from sometime in 2011 until February 2014.
Further investigation revealed that Williams maintained a source of supply for heroin in New Jersey and he traveled to New Jersey on multiple occasions with Hannon, Coley, and others to obtain heroin for sale in the Rocky Mount area.
On June 15, 2012, agents received information from a confidential informant that Williams returned the previous day from New Jersey with a large quantity of heroin. Agents conducted surveillance of Williams and they observed him conduct multiple drug transactions from a vehicle on Sunset Avenue in Rocky Mount.
Officers conducted traffic stops on three individuals who had purchased narcotics from Williams.
All three individuals, who were arrested on state charges, admitted that they purchased heroin from Williams.
Officers recovered 72 bindles of heroin from the occupants of the vehicle.
Upon his arrest, Williams confessed to agents that he traveled to New Jersey with Hannon and Coley on June 13, 2012, to purchase heroin.
Williams advised agents that there was heroin, money, and a shotgun at his residence in Rocky Mount. During a search of the residence officers recovered 22 bricks of heroin, a 12-gauge shotgun, one box of .45 caliber ammunition, two boxes of 12-gauge shotgun shells, and $4,358.
Williams also admitted to having thrown drugs out of his vehicle prior to being arrested.
As a result, agents were able to recover an additional 60 bindles of heroin.
During the conspiracy, Williams confessed to purchasing approximately 20 grams per week from his source in New Jersey.
Over the course of the investigation, Williams was caught possessing numerous illegal firearms in furtherance of his drug trafficking activities.
Investigation of this case was conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Drug Enforcement Administration of Raleigh, the Rocky Mount Police Department, and the
Nash County Sheriff’s Office.
Assistant United States Attorney James Kurosad is handling the prosecution for the government.
