Wilmington Area Drug Dealer Receives More Than 13 Years in Federal Prison

RALEIGH — The United States Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, Robert J. Higdon, Jr., announces that United States District Judge James C. Dever III sentenced DETRICK DAYE, 23, of Wilmington to 162 months of imprisonment followed by 3 years of supervised release.  On November 5, 2018, DAYE pled guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute a quantity of heroin and a quantity of fentanyl, six (6) counts of distribution of a quantity of heroin, and possession with intent to distribution of a quantity of heroin and a quantity of fentanyl.

According to the investigation, the New Hanover County Sheriff’s Office and the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Safe Streets Task Force began investigating a drug trafficking organization, in which DAYE was a member, due to a series of opioid overdoses in the New Hanover County area. 

Between September 2017 and December 2017, the New Hanover County Sheriff’s Office made six controlled purchases of either heroin or a heroin/fentanyl mixture from DAYE at various location in Wilmington.  On December 7, 2017, after the final controlled purchase, DAYE was arrested.  Law enforcement conducted a search of his residence and found a quantity of a heroin/fentanyl mixture.   According to law enforcement, DAYE was a validated gang member.

This case is part of the Take Back North Carolina Initiative of The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of North Carolina.  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.

This investigation was conducted by the FBI Safe Streets Task Force and the New Hanover County Narcotics Unit.  Assistant United States Attorney Timothy M. Severo handled the prosecution of this case for the government.