FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
TUESDAY - May 12, 2009
DUPLIN COUNTY DRUG TRAFFICKER SENTENCED
TO OVER 16 YEARS IN PRISON
WILMINGTON - United States Attorney George E.B. Holding announced that in federal court today Senior United States District Judge James C. Fox sentenced JONATHAN RAINER WILLIAMS, 34, of Duplin County, North Carolina, to 200 months’ imprisonment followed by five years supervised release.
On September 24, 2008, a Federal Grand Jury returned a Criminal Indictment. On January 21, 2009, WILLIAMS pled guilty to conspiring to possess with the intent to distribute more than 500 grams of mixture or substance containing methamphetamine.
On August 29, 2008, a traffic stop was performed by deputies with the Duplin County Sheriff’s Office on the vehicle in which WILLIAMS and a co-defendant were traveling. Their vehicle was suspected of transporting narcotics. During the stop, officers found four ounces of methamphetamine on WILLIAMS. The investigation revealed that WILLIAMS was responsible for distributing more than 40 kilograms of methamphetamine into Duplin County and that he maintained a leadership role in the organization.
This case was brought as a part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) Operation entitled Fire Ants, investigating importers and multi-level distribution of Mexican manufactured methamphetamine being distributed into Eastern North Carolina. The organization is responsible for the importation and distribution of more than 100 kilograms of methamphetamine into Eastern North Carolina.
Mr. Holding commented, “We are grateful for the Court’s sentence in this case. This defendant, and members of this conspiracy, were responsible for distributing more than 80 pounds of methamphetamine in Duplin County. Methamphetamine is one of the most dangerous and addictive illegal drugs. The Court’s sentence certainly reflects the seriousness of this offense.”
Investigation of this case was conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration-Wilmington, North Carolina State Bureau Of Investigation, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Duplin County Sheriff’s Office, Beaullaville Police Department, and the North Carolina Department of Community Corrections. Special Assistant United States Attorney Timothy Severo and Assistant United States Attorney Brian S Meyers represented the government. Mr. Severo is a prosecutor with the New Hanover District Attorney’s Office. District Attorney Ben David 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 and the New Hanover County Commissioners.
News releases are available on the U. S. Attorney’s web page at www.usdoj.gov/usao/nce within 48 hours of release.
