raleigh drug dealer sentenced
Raleigh - United States Attorney Thomas G. Walker announced that in federal court yesterday United States District Judge Louise W. Flanagan sentenced a defendant in a large drug trafficking crime. SHON ROBERT PURCELL, 38, of Raleigh, North Carolina received 132 months imprisonment followed by 5 years supervised release.
PURCELL entered a guilty plea on May 16, 2012, to possession with the intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine pursuant to a criminal information.
According to evidence presented in Court, on November 17, 2011, PURCELL was arrested in Raleigh in possession of one kilogram of cocaine which was seized from his vehicle following an investigation and subsequent stop by the Raleigh Police Department. Upon further investigation, it was determined that PURCELL is responsible for selling over 20 kilograms of cocaine.
Investigation of this case was conducted by the Raleigh Police Department – Drugs and Vice Detectives, the Wake County Sheriff’s Office, Johnston County Sheriff’s Office, and North Carolina Highway Patrol.
The federal prosecution was handled by Special Assistant United States Attorneys Shawn Evans. Mr. Evans is a prosecutor with the Wake County District Attorney’s Office. District Attorney Colon Willoughby has assigned Mr. Evans to the United States Attorney’s Office to prosecute federal Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force criminal matters. This assignment to the United States Attorney’s Office has been made possible by grants funded by the Governor’s Crime Commission.
