FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

TUESDAY - August 2, 2011

ENFIELD DRUG TRAFFICKER RECEIVES FEDERAL SENTENCE

WILMINGTON - United States Attorney Thomas G. Walker announced that in federal court today Senior United State District Judge James C. Fox sentenced JAMES LEE HUNTER, 41, of Enfield, North Carolina to 90 months’ imprisonment followed by five years’ supervised release.

A Federal Grand Jury returned a Criminal Indictment on February 9, 2011. On April 25, 2011, HUNTER pled guilty to conspiring to distribute and possession with the intent to distribute a quantity of marijuana and possession of firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.

According to the investigation, in August 2010, law enforcement received information regarding the illegal drug trafficking activities of HUNTER and co-defendant Lambert McKinnon. It was learned that defendants were planning to pick up a large shipment of marijuana from Arizona and Georgia the week of September 13, 2010, and take it to Halifax County for distribution. On September 15, 2010, a traffic stop was initiated of a vehicle driven by McKinnon. Utilizing the canine unit, 108.6 pounds of marijuana was located during a search of the vehicle. A loaded firearm was also discovered in the vehicle.

The investigation further revealed that later on the day of September 15, 2010, law enforcement executed a search warrant of HUNTER’s residence. The search revealed a loaded pistol and $14,765.00 in cash. A search of HUNTER’s vehicle following the residential search revealed 70 grams of marijuana in a sealed back along with a stolen pistol. Additionally, law enforcement recovered 70 grams of marijuana, digital scales, packaging materials, an shotgun, and three rifles, one of which was an assault rifle, from a building behind the residence.

Investigation of this case was conducted by the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation and the Nash County Sheriff’s Office. Special Assistant United States Attorney Glenn Perry was the assigned Prosecutor.Mr. Perry is a prosecutor with the Pitt County District Attorney’s Office.District Attorney Clark Everett has assigned him to the United States Attorney’s Office to prosecute federal Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force criminal matters.This has been made possible by a grant funded by the Governor’s Crime Commission.

News releases are available on the U. S. Attorney’s web page at www.justice.gov/usao/nce within 48 hours of release.