Armed Methamphetamine Trafficker And Co-Conspirators Are Sentenced To Prison

CHARLOTTE, N.C. – An armed methamphetamine trafficker and his co-conspirator were sentenced in federal court today, announced Dena J. King U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina.

Bennie Mims, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Charlotte Field Division, and Chief Stephen Zill of the Gaston County Police Department join U.S. Attorney King in making today’s announcement.

Bret Scott Funderburk, 34, of Gastonia, N.C., was sentenced to 15 years in prison followed by five years of supervised release, after he pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine, distribution of methamphetamine, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and two counts of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.

Eric Eugene Allen, 42, of Gastonia, N.C., was sentenced to 10 years in prison followed by five years of supervised release, after he pleaded guilty to two counts of distribution of methamphetamine.

Funderburk’s mother, Melanie Mitchum Funderburk, 55, of Gastonia, N.C., has pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine, and five counts of distribution of methamphetamine, and is currently awaiting sentencing.

According to court documents and court proceedings, from March 2021 to April 2021, Bret Funderburk, Melanie Funderburk, and Eric Allen operated a drug conspiracy and distributed methamphetamine in and around Gaston County. Court records also show that Bret Funderburk sold methamphetamine while he illegally possessed firearms and illegally sold firearms. Specifically, on March 10, 2021, Bret Funderburk engaged in a drug transaction while he illegally possessed a Ruger LC9 pistol, and a stolen Ithaca Model 66 sawed-off shotgun. Over the course of the transaction, Bret Funderburk sold the stolen sawed-off shotgun to another individual. Court documents further show that, on March 30, 2021, Bret Funderburk engaged in another drug transaction, during which he illegally possessed and sold a Taurus PT738.38 caliber pistol. Bret Funderburk has prior criminal convictions and he is prohibited from possessing firearms.

Bret Funderburk and Allen are in federal custody and will be transferred to the custody of the federal Bureau of Prisons upon designation of a federal facility.

In making today’s announcement, U.S. Attorney King commended the ATF and the Gaston County Police Department for their investigation of the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Warren of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte is prosecuting the case.