GEORGE E. B. HOLDING

CONTACT: 919/856-4530

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

THURSDAY - October 18, 2007

SECOND FORMER ROBESON COUNTY SHERIFF’S DEPUTY SENTENCED

RALEIGH - United States Attorney George E. B. Holding announced that in federal court yesterday United States District Judge Terrence W. Boyle sentenced JAMES ALLEN BLACK, JR., 35, of Maxton, North Carolina, to 250 months imprisonment, 5 years of supervised release, and imposed a $200 special assessment. BLACK had been convicted of conspiring with others to distribute and to posses with intent to distribute more than 500 grams of cocaine and a quantity of marijuana, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Section 846, conspiring with others to kidnap two individuals, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1201(c), and discharging a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 924(c)(1).

On July 24, 2006, a Criminal Information was filed by the United States Attorney’s Office charging BLACK with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute more than 500 grams of cocaine, conspiracy to kidnap and use of a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence. On August 21, 2006, BLACK pled guilty to the charges.

This case is a part of the Operation Tarnished Badge investigation of the Robeson County Sheriff's Office. To date, Operation Tarnished Badge has resulted in 22 former Sheriff’s Deputies being convicted of various federal criminal violations, including, conspiracy to violate the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO), conspiracy to commit money laundering, conspiracy to defraud the government, conspiracy to commit satellite piracy, conspiracy to commit kidnaping, conspiracy to distribute cocaine and use of a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence. Operation Tarnished Badge is an ongoing investigation at this time.

The investigative agencies involved in Operation Tarnished Badge are the United States Department of Revenue, Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigations Division; the United States Secret Service; and the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation. Assistant United States Attorneys Frank Bradsher, Michael James, and Wes Camden are handling the case for the United States Attorney's Office.

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