WILMINGTON - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of North Carolina announced that in federal court today, Senior United States District Judge James C. Fox, sentenced RANDALL STEWART HILL, 39, of Mount Olive, North Carolina, to 420 months’ imprisonment followed by a lifetime of supervised release.
On Nov. 13, 2015, HILL was found guilty in a jury trial of Conspiracy to Manufacture, Distribute, Dispense, and Possess with the Intent to Distribute a Mixture and Substance Containing 500 Grams or more of Methamphetamine from January 2010 to April 8, 2015.
The investigation revealed that HILL was involved in manufacturing and distributing methamphetamine (meth) in Duplin
County, North Carolina, from at least January 2010 to April 8, 2015. Manufacturing meth requires many ingredients found in over-the-counter cold medicine, as well as other commonly found ingredients. Multiple cooperating witnesses explained how HILL arranged for numerous individuals, commonly referred to as “smurfs," to obtain the pseudoephedrine (pseudo) through purchase at various stores. HILL then used the pseudo to cook meth and compensated the “smurfs" by providing them with meth.
On April 21, 2010, a deputy with the Duplin County Sheriff’s Office attempted to conduct a traffic stop of a vehicle driven by HILL for a traffic infraction. HILL stopped his vehicle at a residence frequented by meth users and sellers. HILL was observed moving around inside the vehicle and looked as though he was reaching beneath the seat. HILL refused the deputy’s orders to exit the vehicle. As a second deputy attempted to gain entrance to the passenger side of the vehicle, HILL rapidly accelerated and drove away. Deputies pursued HILL as he drove down a dirt path and entered a field. HILL’S vehicle began to slow down and the officer attempted to block HILL’S driver’s side door to prevent HILL from jumping from the vehicle, but HILL accelerated and struck the deputy’s vehicle with his own vehicle in the right front quarter panel. A short time later, HILL was taken into custody by other responding units.
Investigators located two plastic bags with electrical tape wrapped around them along the path they had been driving in pursuit of HILL. About five feet from the bags, deputies recovered.1 gram of meth. A search of HILL’S pants pockets and wallet revealed a sum of $1,806 in United States currency, which converts to 18.6 grams of meth. A HILL is responsible for an estimated amount of 729.57 grams of meth from at least January 2010 to April 8, 2015. HILL possessed at least one firearm and maintained a premise for manufacturing meth. HILL manufactured meth and created a substantial risk of harm to the life of a minor and involved an individual who was less than 18 years of age in the offense. HILL paid at least five individuals with meth to purchase pseudo. As such, HILL acted as a manager of a criminal activity involving five or more participants. Finally, HILL recklessly created a substantial risk of death or serious bodily injury to another person in the course of fleeing from a law enforcement officer.
The criminal investigation of this case was conducted by the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation and the Duplin County Sheriff’s Office and the Drug Enforcement Administration. Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer Wells handled the prosecution on behalf of the Eastern District of North Carolina.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
