FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

FRIDAY - December 14, 2007

UNITED STATES ATTORNEY VOWS TO WORK HARD TO PROTECT PUBLIC

RALEIGH - Earlier this week the United States Sentencing Commission decided that recent changes made in the federal sentencing guidelines, which shortened sentences for those convicted of crimes involving crack cocaine, would be made retroactive. Across the United States this means that more than 20,000 convicted crack cocaine offenders may seek a reduction in their sentence. Here in the Eastern District of North Carolina nearly 500 convicted crack cocaine dealers may see their sentences reduced. Hundreds of dangerous prisoners, many of them involved in gang activity, could be eligible for release. “My office will be working hard to protect the public as we work through this process,” stated George E. B. Holding, United States Attorney.

He further stated, “Over the last six months members of the United States Department of Justice including myself and members of my office have been working to persuade the Sentencing Commission and Congress not to make these changes in criminal sentencing laws. Crack cocaine remains a plague which affects some of our most vulnerable neighborhoods and citizens. Despite these changes in the law, my office remains committed to the aggressive investigation and prosecution of those involved in crack cocaine crimes. We refuse to surrender those vulnerable neighborhoods and citizens to drug dealers and gang members, so our aggressive prosecutions will continue.”

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