Nashville Woman Sentenced to 42 Months for Drug Conspiracy

RALEIGH – United States Attorney Robert J. Higdon, Jr. announced that today in federal court, Chief United States District Judge James C. Dever III sentenced sade shana holland, also known as “SHARDE RICHARDSON,” 27, of Nashville, North Carolina to 42 months imprisonment, followed by 5 years of supervised release.

HOLLAND was named in a six-count Indictment filed on April 3, 2018 charging her with conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute twenty-eight (28) grams or more of cocaine base (crack); possession with the intent to distribute and distribution of a quantity of cocaine base (crack); and possession with the intent to distribute and distribution of twenty-eight (28) grams or more of cocaine base (crack).  On June 4, 2018, HOLLAND pled guilty to the conspiracy charge. 

According to the investigation, between June 20, 2017 and August 14, 2017, officers utilized a cooperating witness to make six purchases of crack cocaine from HOLLAND.  HOLLAND arranged each of the drug purchases and contacted her drug supplier, Equan Dunston, who provided the crack cocaine to HOLLAND for the drug purchases.  HOLLAND sold approximately 280 grams of cocaine base (crack) in Spring Hope, NC and Rocky Mount, NC.  

Dunston was named in a Criminal Information filed on January 10, 2018 charging him with conspiracy to distribute twenty-eight grams or more of cocaine base (crack) between June 20, 2017 and August 17, 2017 for his role in the conspiracy with HOLLAND.  On March 5, 2018, Dunston pled guilty to the single count Criminal Information.  On June 4, 2018, Dunston was sentenced to 114 months imprisonment followed by 5 years supervised release.

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 vioent crime rate, drug trafficking, and crimes against law enforcement.

Investigation of this case was conducted by the Nash County Sheriff’s Office.  Assistant United States Attorney Dena King represented the government.