Elizabeth City man sentenced to more than 12 years in prison for drug charges

Published 7:27 am Thursday, December 12, 2024

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An Elizabeth City man has been sentenced to 147 months in prison for possession with the intent to distribute 40 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing fentanyl and 10 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing a fentanyl analogue. Investigators with Pasquotank County Sheriff’s Office had searched the residence of the man – Karem Felton, 31 – on May 19, 2023 in response to shots fired a day earlier, according to a news release from the U.S. Department of Justice, Eastern District of North Carolina.

“Disrupting drug trafficking in our communities is a critical part of our mission. The FBI and our local partners are working very hard to take dangerous drugs off of our streets, along with the people who peddle them. This case is another great example of law enforcement working together to make our communities safer,” said Robert M. DeWitt, the special agent in charge of the FBI in North Carolina.

“I want to thank my deputies at the Pasquotank County Sheriff’s Office, Elizabeth City Police Department, Federal Bureau of Investigations and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the great work that has been done to combat the drug and violent crime issues we face on a daily basis,” said Pasquotank County Sheriff Tommy Wooten.

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According to the release, on May 18, 2023, Elizabeth City Police Department officers responded to shots fired at a vehicle. “Officers collected eight .300 caliber rifle shell casings in the area and reviewed city cameras around the area of the incident. They were able to see a male step out of a BMW and fire shots at a Dodge Charger. Law enforcement saw Felton driving the same BMW with the same license plate earlier in the month on March 6, 2023,” stated the release.

On May 19, 2023, investigators from the Pasquotank County Sheriff’s Office conducted a search of Felton’s residence. “During the search, they discovered several items in the bedroom: a 7.62 x 39mm pistol hidden under the bed, a .300 Blackout pistol in the closet, and a 10mm pistol containing fentanyl inside the headboard of the master bed,” the release continued. “Additionally, officers found two AR pistol braces in a soft-sided cooler and a .300 Blackout magazine with 18 rounds of .300 Blackout ammunition placed between the mattress and box spring.”

“In a spare bedroom, officers located a safe that contained $11,050 in cash, assorted ammunition, and a digital scale. In the living room, they found $1,108 in cash and two cell phones hidden inside the couch. A firearm holster was also discovered in the children’s bedroom. After conducting a further search of the vehicle, officers uncovered fentanyl, cocaine, and additional cash,” stated the release.

U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina Michael F. Easley Jr. made the announcement after sentencing by United States District Court Judge Louis W. Flanagan. The Elizabeth City Police Department, the Pasquotank County Sheriff’s Office and the Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated the case and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Julie A. Childress and Katherine S. Englander prosecuted.

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