GEORGE E. B. HOLDING

CONTACT: 919/856-4530

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

THURSDAY - SEPTEMBER 13, 2007

MAN SENTENCED FOR DRUG CONSPIRACY

GREENVILLE - United States Attorney George E. B. Holding announced that in federal court yesterday, Chief United States District Judge Louise W. Flanagan sentenced TONY ONEIL SESSOMS, 33, of Ahoskie, North Carolina to 148 months’ imprisonment. Judge Flanagan also ordered a fine in the amount of $4,500.00, and five years supervised release.

A Criminal Information filed by the United States Attorney’s Office on December 15, 2006, charged the defendant with conspiracy to distribute crack cocaine. SESSOMS pled guilty to the charge on

February 22, 2007. The case arose out of an ongoing federal investigation stemming from the execution of a search warrant by officers with the Hertford County Sheriff’s Department and the Ahoskie Police Department on February 10, 2006. On that date, the Tire Express business located at 130 North Maple Street in Ahoskie, NC was searched for drugs and firearms. After securing SESSOMS who attempted to flee the scene, agents located 31 grams of crack and 27 grams of cocaine, $1,117.00 in currency, digital scales, a shotgun, and drug packaging materials. SESSOMS subsequently agreed to make a statement after waiving his Miranda rights and admitted to distributing in excess of a kilogram of crack cocaine in the past 7 months in the Hertford/Bertie County area.

Investigation of the case was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Hertford County Sheriff’s Department, and the Ahoskie Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Ethan Ontjes prosecuted the case 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.