Raleigh Blood Gang Member Sentenced to 13 Years for Illegally Possessing a Firearm and a Variety of Drugs

RALEIGH, N.C. – A Raleigh Blood gang member was sentenced today to 156 months in prison for illegally possessing a firearm and possessing with the intent to distribute marijuana, cocaine, crack, and heroin.

On December 5, 2019 Brooks Prentice Lesane, 37, was named in a three-count indictment filed in the Eastern District of North Carolina.  Count One charged Possession With Intent to Distribute a Quantity of Marijuana, a Quantity of Cocaine, a Quantity of Cocaine Base (Crack), and a Quantity of Heroin; Count Two charged Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime, and Count Three charged Possession of a Firearm by a Felon on May 2, 2019.  On March 16, 2020, pursuant to a written plea agreement, the defendant pled guilty to Counts One and Two.

Based upon court documents, on May 2, 2019, the Raleigh Police Department (RPD) began an investigation into the drug trafficking activities of Lesane, a known felon, after a confidential informant positively identified Lesane as trafficking various controlled substances, including marijuana, heroin, and cocaine base (crack), from his residence and throughout Raleigh. A search warrant was then executed at Lesane’s residence. RPD officers seized a 9mm handgun loaded with 9 rounds of ammunition, 19.42 grams of crack, 46.03 grams of heroin, 252.77 grams of marijuana, 20.43 grams of fentanyl mixed with heroin, and 8.97 grams of cocaine with a converted drug weight of 168.5 kilograms.

Robert J. Higdon, Jr., U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge James C. Dever III. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, and the Raleigh Police Department (RPD) investigated the case and Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel W. Smith  prosecuted the case.

A copy of this press release is located on our website. 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. 5:19-cr-00486-D-1.

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The year 2020 marks the 150th anniversary of the Department of Justice.  Learn more about the history of our agency at www.Justice.gov/Celebrating150Years.