NEW BERN - The United States Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, Robert J. Higdon, Jr., announced that today, LEROY MOORE, JR., 31, of Whiteville, North Carolina, was sentenced by United States District Judge Louise W. Flanagan to 60 months imprisonment followed by 5 years of supervised release.
MOORE was named in a two-count Superseding Indictment on Nov. 29, 2017. On Jan. 24, 2018, MOORE pled guilty to Possession with Intent to Distribute 28 Grams or More of Cocaine Base (Crack).
On July 1, 2014, deputies with the Columbus County Sheriff's Office conducted a license check point at an intersection in Whiteville. A Deputy made contact with a vehicle which was being driven by MOORE. The deputies detected an odor of marijuana emanating from the vehicle and noticed smoke coming from the vehicle’s center console. When asked about the smell of marijuana, MOORE stated he had just extinguished his “blunt." During a search of MOORE’S person, several pieces of cocaine base (crack) fell from MOORE'S pants leg. MOORE also possessed three plastic bags containing cocaine base. During a search of MOORE’S vehicle, several pieces of cocaine base, digital scales, an empty pill bottle, and.42 grams of marijuana were recovered. Laboratory analysis of the cocaine base that was recovered confirmed the total weight to be approximately 29 grams of cocaine base (crack).
This case is part of the United States Attorney’s Office’s Take Back North Carolina Initiative. This initiative emphasizes the regional assignment of federal prosecutors to work with law enforcement and District Attorney’s Offices on a sustained basis in those communities to reduce the violent crime rate, drug trafficking, and crimes against law enforcement.
The investigation of this case was conducted by the Columbus County Sheriff’s Office, the North Carolina Crime Laboratory, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant United States Attorney S. Katherine Burnette handled the prosecution of this case for the government.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
