Armed Jacksonville Drug Trafficker Sentenced to 15 Years in Prison After 15 Citizen Complaints Lead to Investigation

NEW BERN, N.C. – A Jacksonville man was sentenced to 180 months in prison for trafficking fentanyl while armed with firearms. On May 6, 2024, Daquan Wainwright, age 26, pled guilty to the charges.

According to court documents and other information presented in court, the Onslow County Sheriff’s Office, Jacksonville Police Department, and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) began investigating Wainwright for drug trafficking after receiving approximately 15 community complaints regarding his sale of drugs in Onslow County.

On March 1, 2022, Wainwright led law enforcement on a high-speed car chase traveling at speeds of more than 120 miles per hour before eventually getting stuck in a ditch. Wainwright was driving the car and two of the passengers were minor children. All occupants were able to exit the car safely before it was engulfed in flames. Law enforcement was also able to recover 681 grams of marijuana from the car before the fire took over.

During the investigation, law enforcement developed confidential informants who provided information related to Wainwright’s drug trafficking and eventually conducted a controlled purchase of two ounces of fentanyl from Wainwright.

On September 29, 2022, Onslow County Sheriff’s Office deputies responded to a domestic dispute call on Eider Loop Road in Jacksonville. Wainwright and his co-defendant, London Kebe, lived at the house. Kebe opened the door, and deputies immediately noticed the odor of marijuana. Deputies also discovered Kebe had an active arrest warrant and attempted to take her into custody. At this point, Wainwright had driven by the house several times. As Kebe was taken into custody, she claimed that there were children in the house. As a safety precaution, law enforcement cleared the house. There were no children present, but there were a variety of illegal items ultimately seized, including a pitcher of over two kilograms of fentanyl, 40 pounds of marijuana, drug paraphernalia, a loaded Highpoint handgun, a loaded AR-15 rifle, a stolen 9mm handgun, a rifle with an obliterated serial number, another 9mm loaded handgun, and several rounds of ammunition. They also seized nearly $15,000 in cash.

Wainwright was eventually taken into custody on scene. He attempted to destroy his phone as he was being handcuffed. The phone was forensically analyzed and contained pictures and other evidence of drug trafficking and firearm possession. After he was in custody, Wainwright continued to direct others to collect debts owed to him for drugs and provide the payment to his mother.

Michael Easley, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Louise W. Flanagan. The Onslow County Sheriff’s Office, Jacksonville Police Department, and the DEA investigated the case and Assistant U.S. Attorney Tyler Lemons  prosecuted the case.

Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 7:22-CR-00135-D-001.