Pender County man accused of distributing cocaine gets 14 years in prison

PENDER COUNTY, NC (WWAY) — A Pender County man will spend more than 14 years in federal prison for possessing and distributing heroin and nearly seven pounds of cocaine.

Elmer “E.J.” Holmes, Jr., 38, was sentenced for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute 500 or more grams of cocaine and 100 or more grams of heroin, and distribution of heroin and cocaine and aiding and abetting another.

According to court documents, Holmes received large amounts of narcotics at his cousin’s home in Pender County in 2019. He left some for his cousin Johnny Holmes to distribute and the rest was taken elsewhere.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearm officers conducted several controlled purchases from Holmes between April and September of 2019.

After one of those purchases, the Highway patrol stopped the car begin driven by E.J. with Johnny Holmes as a passenger.

During the investigation, law enforcement discovered E.J. Holmes was responsible for distributing more than 3 kilograms of cocaine and more than 100 grams of heroin rom December 2018 until his arrest.

Following the arrest, E.J. tried to have Johnny write a letter to law enforcement saying E.J. was not involved in the drug trafficking organization.

EJ Holmes had two prior federal convictions at the time of his arrest on these charges for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon (2004) which he received a 21 month active sentence, and Possession with Intent to Distribute more than 500 grams of Cocaine (2006) in which he received an active sentence of 76 months in prison.

Johnny Holmes received a sentence of 56 months in federal prison for distributing heroin and cocaine.