GEORGE E. B. HOLDING

CONTACT: 919/856-4530

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

TUESDAY - November 6, 2007

FIRST DEFENDANT IN OPERATION SECOND WIND SENTENCED

RALEIGH - United States Attorney George E. B. Holding announced that in federal court today United States District Judge James C. Dever, III, sentenced ROBERT MICHAEL HAMILTON, 48, of Fayetteville, North Carolina, to 180 months’ imprisonment, five years of supervised release, and imposed a $100.00 special assessment. On May 8, 2007, HAMILTON pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute more than 100 kilograms of marijuana, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Section 841(a)(1). HAMILTON’s sentencing is the first sentencing in an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force Operation (OCDETF) investigation entitled Operation Second Wind. The investigation centered around the possession with intent to distribute substantial amounts of marijuana and cocaine in the Fayetteville area.

Investigation of the case was conducted by Department of Homeland Security Immigration Customs Enforcement, Fayetteville Police Department (ICE), and Houston, Texas, based High Intensity

Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) Group H31 Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). Assistant United States Attorney Michael G. James was prosecution for the government.

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