Greenville Drug Trafficker Sentenced

RALEIGH – The United States Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, Robert J. Higdon, Jr., announced that in federal court today, United States Chief District James C. Dever III sentenced RICHARD LENZY, 41, from Greenville, NC, to 100 months in prison for conspiracy to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine and a quantity of cocaine base (crack) and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.  LENZY will be supervised for 4 years upon his release from the Bureau of Prisons.

On November 5, 2013, the Greenville Regional Drug Task Force used a confidential informant to buy 22.48 grams of crack cocaine from two other drug traffickers in Greenville.  Officers saw the two other traffickers meet with LENZY at a convenience store prior to the purchase during which LENZY supplied the crack cocaine.  On the same date, officers received consent from LENZY’S girlfriend to search their residence.  During the search, officers seized 67.23 grams of cocaine, a loaded .45 caliber handgun, and $1,500.  After his arrest, LENZY admitted to buying 4.5 ounces of cocaine three times and 5 ounces of cocaine once.  LENZY also admitted to converting an ounce of the cocaine into crack cocaine that was sold to the informant.

On June 23, 2015, LENZY sold 3.4 grams of cocaine to a confidential informant working at the direction of the Greenville Regional Drug Task Force.  On July 8, 2015, LENZY sold 13.9 grams of cocaine to the informant.  On the same date, the Pitt County Sheriff’s Office obtained and executed a search warrant for LENZY’S motel room in Greenville.  During the search of the motel room, deputies seized 10 grams of crack cocaine, 158 grams of marijuana and 25 pills of Desoxyn (methamphetamine), $7,972.31, a loaded 9mm handgun, digital scales and drug paraphernalia.  LENZY is prohibited from possessing a firearm due to his 1998 conviction for second-degree murder.

The investigation was conducted by the Greenville Regional Drug Task Force, the Pitt County Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).

Special Assistant United States Attorney Glenn Perry handled the prosecution.  Mr. Perry is a prosecutor with the Pitt County District Attorney’s Office.  Pitt County District Attorney Kimberly Robb has assigned Mr. Perry to the United States Attorney’s Office, pursuant to funding provided by the North Carolina Conference of District Attorneys, to prosecute federal Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force criminal matters.