NEW BERN - The United States Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, Robert J. Higdon, Jr., announced that today, United States District Judge, Louise W. Flanagan sentenced TONY RAY HOLDER, 34, of Holly Springs, North Carolina, to 84 months imprisonment followed by 5 years of supervised release.
HOLDER was named in a three count Indictment on Dec. 20, 2017. On March 14, 2018, HOLDER pled guilty to possession with the intent to distribute a quantity of cocaine base (crack) and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
On June 10, 2017, investigators with the Johnston County Sheriff’s Office conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle being driven by HOLDER’s girlfriend. HOLDER was the front seat passenger. During the traffic stop, officers recovered cocaine base, a digital scale, a loaded 9mm handgun from underneath HOLDER’s seat, a ski mask and gloves from the glove box. HOLDER had been released from state prison for a second degree murder conviction less than two months prior to this traffic stop.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. Attorney General Jeff Sessions reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent crime.
The investigation of this case was conducted by the Johnston County Sheriff’s Office, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives (ATF). Assistant United States Attorney Peggah Wilson handled the prosecution of this case for the government.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
