Repeat drug dealer gets 12+ years in prison

United States Attorney George E.B. Holding announced
that in federal court on February 25, 2010, United States District
Judge Terrence W. Boyle sentenced DEMETRIUS ANTWAUN POWELL, 35, of
New Hanover County, North Carolina, to 151 months’ imprisonment
followed by three years supervised release.

A Federal Grand Jury returned a Criminal Indictment on August
28, 2009. On November 17, 2009, POWELL pled guilty to possess with
the intent to distribute a quantity of heroin.

On June 8, 2009, POWELL was arrested during a traffic stop by
the Wilmington Police Department and was found in possession of a
quantity of heroin packaged for distribution. POWELL has four
prior felony convictions for narcotics offenses.

“This case is a shining example of the progress that can be
made in putting drug dealers behind bars when federal, state and
local law enforcement and prosecutors work together. The bonds
have been forged and we will continue to work together in this very
important area of law enforcement,” stated Mr Holding.

This case was brought as a part of an Organized Crime Drug
Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) Operation entitled Don Quixote,
investigating importers and multi-level distributors of cocaine,
crack cocaine, heroin, Ecstasy and gang activity associated with
this distribution. This organization is responsible for the
importation and distribution of more than 200 kilograms of cocaine,
more than 50 kilograms of crack cocaine, 3 kilograms of heroin,
20,000 Ecstacy pills and several kilograms of marijuana into
Eastern North Carolina since 2003. To date, 21 people have been
sentenced in federal court as a part of this operation.

Investigation of this case is being conducted by the Bureau of
Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms; the Federal Bureau of
Investigation’s Safe Streets Task Force (Wilmington); the North
Carolina State Bureau of Investigations; the Drug Enforcement
Administration (DEA); the Wilmington Police Department; the New
Hanover Sheriff’s Office; the Onslow County Sheriff’s Office; the
Duplin County Sheriff’s Office; the Pender County Sheriff’s Office;
the Holly Ridge Police Department, the Top Sail Police Department
and the Surf City Police Department. Special Assistant United
States Attorney Timothy Severo represented the government. Mr
Severo is a prosecutor with the New Hanover District Attorney’s
Office. District Attorney Ben David 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 and
the New Hanover County Commissioners.

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