Wilson County Man Sentenced to 42 Months in Prison for Distributing Heroin

RALEIGH – United States Attorney Robert J. Higdon, Jr. announced that today in federal court, Chief United States District Judge James C. Dever III sentenced TROY LEE NEWSOME, JR., a/k/a “Slim,” 30 from Wilson, North Carolina, to 42 months in prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release. 

NEWSOME, was named in an eight-count Indictment filed in the Eastern District of North Carolina on November 29, 2017. Count 1 charged Conspiracy to Possess With the Intent to Distribute a Quantity of Heroin from November 2016 to June 2017, in violation of 21 U.S.C § 846. Counts 2 through 8 charged Distribution and Possession With Intent to Distribute a Quantity of Heroin on November 29, 2016; November 30, 2016; December 15, 2016; January 27, 2017; February 8, 2017; February 10, 2017; and May 30, 2017; respectively, in violation of 21 U.S.C. § 841(a)(1).

The investigation revealed that in November of 2016, NEWSOME, became the target of a narcotics investigation by the Wilson Police Department and Wilson County Sherriff’s Office (WCSO). Investigators conducted a series of controlled purchases of heroin from NEWSOME.

On February 10, 2017, a search warrant was executed at NEWSOME’S Wilson residence. Officers encountered NEWSOME in a vehicle parked in the driveway, seated in the driver’s seat. A quantity of marijuana was located in the front of the vehicle. In the trunk of the vehicle, officers recovered 300 bags (3 grams) of heroin stamped with the label “Hot Sauce.” NEWSOME was charged in state court with two counts of Trafficking in Heroin, and was subsequently released on bond.

On May 30, 2017, officers with the WCSO attempted to perform a traffic stop on a vehicle driven by NEWSOME.  NEWSOME, who had outstanding felony warrants, led officers on a two-mile high-speed chase, at times driving into oncoming traffic and endangering civilians. During the pursuit, NEWSOME drove directly toward a WSCO deputy in his patrol vehicle, which nearly resulted in a head-on collision with the officer.

From the investigation, law enforcement determined NEWSOME is accountable for trafficking heroin and marijuana between September 2016 and June 2017. He was also responsible for possessing a dangerous weapon.

Mr. Higdon commented:  “Troy Lee Newsome, Jr. has been poisoning the streets of Wilson, North Caroloina and Wilson County for more than a decade.  But now, with the imposition of a 42 months sentence, those communities can begin to recover from the effects of his crime.  The Court’s sentence gives these communities that opportunity and we are very pleased that the United States Department of Justice could play a role in achieving that result.  I want to commend the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Wilson County Sheriff’s Office, and the Wilson Police Department, for their excellent work in this case.”

The case is a federal Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) criminal matter and was investigated by the Wilson Police Department, Wilson County Sheriff’s Office, and the United States Drug Enforcement Administration.  Assistant United States Attorney Edward Gray prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.