FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

WEDNESDAY - March 10, 2010

AYDEN DRUG DEALER SENTECED

GREENVILLE - United States Attorney George E.B. Holding announced that in federal court yesterday United States District Judge Malcolm J. Howard sentenced DESEDRICK MONTA FREEMAN, 32, Ayden, North Carolina, to 52 months’ imprisonment followed by five years supervised release.

A Federal Grand Jury returned a Criminal Indictment on March 11, 2009. On May 6, 2009, FREEMAN pled guilty to aiding and abetting the distribution of more than 50 grams of cocaine base (crack).

On December 10, 2008, a controlled buy was executed where 55.8 grams of crack was purchased from FREEMAN. FREEMAN was arrested during the drug buy. The investigation traced the cocaine back to Aaron Coppedge who was convicted by a federal jury last month of drug possession and distribution charges.

Investigation of this case was conducted by the Naval Criminal Investigative Service, the Greene County Sheriff’s Office and the Jacksonville Police Department. Special Assistant United States Attorney W. Glenn Perry represented the government. Prosecutor.Mr. Perry is a prosecutor with the Pitt County District Attorney’s Office.District Attorney Clark Everett has assigned him to the United States Attorney’s Office to prosecute federal Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force criminal matters.This has been made possible by a grant funded by the Governor’s Crime Commission.

News releases are available on the U. S. Attorney’s web page at www.usdoj.gov/usao/nce within 48 hours of release.