Fayetteville Man Sentenced for Narcotics and Firearms Violations

RALEIGH – United States Attorney Robert J. Higdon, Jr. announced that today in federal court, Chief United States District Judge Terrence W. Boyle sentenced BERNARD HARVEY FERGUSON, 33, of Fayetteville, North Carolina to 100 months imprisonment, followed by 5 years of supervised release.

FERGUSON was named in a two-count Criminal Information filed on July 15, 2019 charging him with possession with intent to distribute 100 kilograms or more of marijuana, 280 grams or more of cocaine base (Crack), and 500 grams or more of cocaine (Count One), and possession of firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime (Count Two).  On August 8, 2019, FERGUSON pled guilty to those charges.    

On March 12, 2018, investigators with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) were notified by the Texas Highway Patrol of a large drug trafficking organization that was delivering marijuana to an address on Milford Road in Fayetteville, and began investigating that residence. A vehicle parked outside of the residence was identified as being registered to FERGUSON.  FERGUSON was also identified as having the public utility services for the residence registered in his name.

The same day, investigators made contact with FERGUSON at the Milford Road residence and executed a search warrant of the residence. During the search, investigators located in the kitchen: a plastic bag containing approximately 32.9 grams of cocaine base; baking soda; three digital scales; a stolen .40 caliber Glock handgun which was loaded with a high-capacity magazine; a locked briefcase which contained several large bags of cocaine; seven bags of cocaine base; a gallon-sized bag of marijuana; a box for a Smith and Wesson .40 caliber handgun; a handgun holster; and, more marijuana.  

In the dining room, investigators found a storage container holding twenty gallon-sized bags of marijuana.  

In the garage, investigators located nine large bales of marijuana wrapped in cellophane, each weighing between 48 to 67 pounds.  

In the master bedroom, investigators discovered a stolen .40 caliber Smith and Wesson handgun, 4 gallon sized storage bags of marijuana, and approximately one ounce of cocaine. In a second bedroom, investigators recovered another loaded .40 caliber Smith and Wesson handgun and a backpack with three semi-automatic handguns (one of which was reported stolen) as well as magazines and ammunition. The Drug Enforcement Agency laboratory determined the drugs seized to be 735 grams of cocaine, 307 grams of cocaine base (crack), and 193 kilograms of marijuana.

FERGUSON admitted to investigators that the house was his and claimed ownership of the marijuana, cocaine, cocaine base (crack), and all of the seized firearms. FERGUSON stated that the large bales of marijuana were going to be broken down into 1-pound increments and sold. FERGUSON additionally stated that he purchased the cocaine in powder form and had a friend convert a portion of it to crack cocaine at the residence.

This case is part of the United States Attorney’s Office’s Take Back North Carolina Initiative.  This initiative emphasizes the regional assignment of federal prosecutors to work with law enforcement and District Attorney’s Offices on a sustained basis in those communities to reduce the violent crime rate, drug trafficking, and crimes against law enforcement.  For additional information about this initiative, click here https://www.justice.gov/usao-ednc/tbnc.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives (ATF), Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the Fayetteville Police Department investigated this case. Assistant United States Attorney Scott Lemmon represented the government.