RALEIGH - The United States Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, Robert J. Higdon, Jr., announced that today, Chief United States District Judge Terrence W. Boyle, sentenced JOSHUA SKUTT, 41, of New Hanover County to 168 months’ imprisonment, followed by 3 years of supervised release. On March 21, 2019, SKUTT pled guilty to one-count of Conspiracy to Manufacture, Distribute, and Possess with Intent to Distribute a Quantity of Methamphetamine and one-count of Possession with Intent to Distribute a Quantity of Methamphetamine and Aiding and Abetting. Additionally, JOSHUA REGISTER, 34, of New Hanover County was sentenced to 48 months imprisonment followed by 3 years of supervised release. On March 14, 2019, REGISTER pled guilty to one-count of Conspiracy to Manufacture, Distribute and Possess with Intent to Distribute a Quantity of Methamphetamine and one-count of Possession with Intent to Distribute a Quantity of Methamphetamine and Aiding and Abetting.
Beginning in February 2018, the New Hanover County Sheriff’s Office (NHCSO) received information that SKUTT, REGISTER, and four others were working together to manufacture methamphetamine in the McGregor Road area of New Hanover County. Detectives received information that methamphetamine was being “cooked" at both 212 and 215 McGregor Road. They also received information that SKUTT was having people purchase pseudoephedrine in order to cook methamphetamine, and that SKUTT and others used burn pits at the residences to conceal evidence and destroy the methamphetamine cooking components. The investigation also uncovered that SKUTT taught REGISTER how to cook methamphetamine.
On February 21 and March 2, 2018, the Sheriff’s Office conducted controlled purchases of methamphetamine from REGISTER at 210 McGregor Road.
On March 20, 2018, the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation Clandestine Lab Response team, along with Sheriff’s Office Clandestine Lab certified detectives, executed search warrants on three residences - 210, 212 and 215 McGregor Road. Law enforcement found the following items: 210 McGregor Road (items associated with the cooking/manufacturing of methamphetamine), 212 McGregor Road (19 grams of methamphetamine and items associated with the manufacturing/cooking of methamphetamine), and 215 McGregor Road (144 grams of liquid methamphetamine). Law enforcement found REGISTER at 210 McGregor Road and SKUTT at 212 McGregor Road.
The Court found that based upon the nature of the manufacturing by both SKUTT and REGISTER that it created a substantial risk of harm to human life. At the time of this offense, SKUTT was on federal supervised release.
This case is part of the Take Back North Carolina Initiative of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of North Carolina. 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 violence crime rate, drug trafficking, and crimes against law enforcement. For more information about this initiative please click https://www.justice.gov/usao-ednc/tbnc.
The investigation of this case was conducted by the New Hanover County Sheriff’s Office and the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Timothy M. Severo represented the government.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
