Sampson County Drug Boss Found Guilty of Selling Massive Amounts of Methamphetamine into Eastern NC Communities

RALEIGH, N.C. – A federal jury convicted a Sampson County native on twelve counts of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and distribution of methamphetamine stemming from his leadership of a large-scale methamphetamine distribution operation in Eastern North Carolina.

“This verdict sends a strong message: if you flood our communities with deadly drugs, we will come after you,” said U.S. Attorney Ellis Boyle. “This defendant chose to run a major cross country methamphetamine operation, and now he will face the consequences. Our office will continue to protect the people of North Carolina with unwavering resolve.”

“Through a collaborative effort, ATF and our law enforcement partners disrupted a dangerous drug dealing network that stretched from coast to coast,” said ATF Special Agent in Charge Alicia Jones. “Bringing an end to this criminal operation will have a major impact on bettering public safety in our community.”

“I am truly grateful for the cooperation between my office, our federal partners, and the United States Attorney’s Office. These partnerships have allowed us to stop the flow of drugs before they even get to Sampson County preventing overdoses and other catastrophic effects,” said Sampson County Sheriff Jimmy Thornton.

According to court records and evidence presented at trial, Homer Allen Faison, III, age 47, led a drug trafficking organization that transported methamphetamine and other drugs from California into Eastern North Carolina for distribution. Evidence showed that Faison traveled to California to acquire pounds of pure methamphetamine, set up shipments of that methamphetamine into Sampson County, and managed the sale of that methamphetamine at homes and businesses in Clinton. The investigation revealed repeated large-quantity deliveries, organized communications, and continuous drug selling from 2020 until Faison’s arrest in May of 2023.

Faison faces a minimum penalty of 120 months and up to life in prison when sentenced in February 2026.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Caroline Webb and Charles Loeser are prosecuting the case.  The Sampson County Sheriff’s Office, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, Clinton Police Department, Drug Enforcement Administration, Internal Revenue Service, and North Carolina State Bureau of Investigations, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Tyler Lemons and former Assistant U.S. Attorney Brad Knott led this multi-year investigation.

This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs).

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.7:23-CR-00065-D-1.