Five gang members from New Jersey pleaded guilty last week to trafficking heroin into the Wilmington area.
According to a press release from District Attorney Ben David, the five co-defendants–members of the United Blood Nation gang from New Jersey–pleaded guilty in New Hanover County Superior Court to their roles in trafficking heroin into the area.
The pleas stemmed from a March 2012 arrest, which launched a two-month investigation into heroin trafficking between the gang members in New Jersey and Wilmington.
“Officers were able to conduct surveillance of the suspects and completed a controlled purchase of 150 glassine bags of heroin at the Days Inn motel on Market Street,” Samantha Dooies, David’s assistant, said. “This controlled purchase allowed officers to secure a search warrant of the rooms rented by the suspects at the hotel–a search that yielded 2,718 glassine bags of heroin.”
Eight people were arrested following the search.
Reginald Willis, 30, of Irvington, New Jersey, pleaded guilty last week before he was scheduled for trial. Following pre-trial motions before Superior Court Judge Doug Parsons, two other co-defendants–brothers Tykeem Thomas, 39, of Red Bank, New Jersey, and Stephen Poole (a.k.a. Furman Brown), 23, of Asbury Park, New Jersey, pleaded guilty to multiple charges, Dooies said.
Two additional co-defendants–James Thomas, 36, of Asbury Park, New Jersey, and Leah Porter, 31, of Red Bank, New Jersey, also pleaded guilty. James Thomas will be extradited to New Jersey to serve a sentence there on a previous conviction, Dooies said. Porter will also return to New Jersey to serve five years of probation, but will return to North Carolina if she violates the terms of that probation.
Charges against three women who cooperated with the investigation and prosecution were dismissed, Dooies said.
“Heroin is a dangerous drug that takes the lives of hundreds of people each year,” David said. “Drug dealers from Wilmington and from other cities need to know that my office takes offenses involving heroin seriously and that offenders will face stiff penalties for dealing drugs in my district. These defendants were seemingly unaware that drug dealing is punished much more harshly in North Carolina.
“We will continue to vigorously prosecute drug traffickers and verified gang members, and this case pointed out the close ties between heroin trafficking and established gangs, both locally and nationally.”
The following sentences were issued during the superior court week of July 21:
- Poole was convicted of felony trafficking in opium or heroin, conspiring to traffic heroin, and sell or deliver heroin. He was sentenced to 70 to 84 months in the N.C. Department of Corrections.
- Porter was convicted of felony trafficking in opium or heroin and sentenced to 408 days in prison, plus 60 to 84 months of supervised probation.
- James Thomas was convicted of felony trafficking in opium or heroin, sentenced to 13 to 25 months in prison and extradited to New Jersey to serve more than seven years in prison on previous convictions.
- Tykeem Thomas was convicted of felony trafficking in opium or heroin and conspiring to traffic heroin. He was sentenced to 160 to 210 months in prison.
- Willis was convicted of trafficking opium or heroin and was sentenced to 36 to 52 months in prison.
[nggallery id=35]
