Wilmington man sentenced to nearly 19 years in prison for drug and gun charges

WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — A Wilmington man was sentenced in federal court Thursday to more than 18 years in prison for drug distribution and firearm charges.

Darius J. Williams, 38, will spend the nearly two decades in prison followed by 6 years of supervised release.

On September 27, 2017, Willams pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possession with intent to distribute a quantity of heroin, cocaine base and marijuana, and possession of a firearm by felon.

According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office FBI agents saw someone using heroin in a restaurant parking lot in Wilmington on February 21, 2017. The man, who allegedly had 87 dosage units of heroin in in his lap, told agents he was on federal supervised release. The man then said he was living in a federal halfway house, where he had previously purchased heroin from Williams, who was also on federal supervised release and living in the same house.

Just two days later, the man was instructed by FBI to purchased 351 dosage units of heroin from Williams’ house. On June 26, 2017, agents coordinated with federal probation to arrest Williams at the Wilmington probation office.

While Williams was detained, deputies say he directed associated through monitored phone calls to where drugs were stored. Law enforcement officers watched the associates park their vehicle near the address identified as belonging to Williams’ mother.

Cordelia Ross and Rynell Solomon dug up drugs that were buried in a backyard of a residence on Grathwol Drive, according to New Hanover County Sheriff’s Office.

The associates were detained upon leaving. Inside the car, law enforcement recovered two plastic bags containing 91.78 grams of MDMA, 33.68 grams of cocaine, 62.78 grams of marijuana, and a loaded .380 pistol which was later determined to be stolen.