U.S. District Judge Kenneth D. Bell has sentenced Cleveland Pegues, a 40-year-old resident of Charlotte, to five years in prison for armed cocaine trafficking. This announcement was made by Lawrence J. Cameron, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. In addition to his prison term, Pegues will serve three years of supervised release following his incarceration.
The case involved cooperation between several law enforcement agencies, including the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department (CMPD). Bennie Mims, Special Agent in Charge of the ATF's Charlotte Field Division, and CMPD Chief Johnny Jennings joined Acting U.S. Attorney Cameron in making the announcement.
Court documents reveal that on March 15, 2023, CMPD officers attempted to stop a black Honda Accord for a traffic violation when its driver fled at high speed after initially pulling over. Officers witnessed a bag being discarded from the vehicle's passenger window during the pursuit. The recovered bag contained marijuana and cocaine. A subsequent search uncovered a stolen loaded firearm along the vehicle's path.
Further investigation identified Pegues as the driver involved in this incident. On March 29, 2023, while under surveillance by officers who observed him carrying bags toward a truck, Pegues attempted to flee but was apprehended swiftly.
Upon searching Pegues' belongings, officers found two firearms: a Pietro Beretta Model 96A1 pistol with one round chambered and ten rounds in its magazine; and a stolen Smith & Wesson Model 66 revolver loaded with six rounds—alongside additional ammunition within his satchel.
Inside another shopping bag were multiple plastic bags containing over 100 grams of cocaine packaged for distribution along with quantities of MDMA cocaine base—and more than half-a-kilogram worth marijuana similarly packaged—as well as digital scales cash among other items seized during this operation which included $7k US currency drug paraphernalia money counter following execution search warrant at defendant’s apartment according court records
On August 29th last year (2024), Pegues pleaded guilty possession intent distribute controlled substances possessing firearm furtherance related crimes remains federal custody pending placement designated facility Federal Bureau Prisons
Acting U.S Attorney Cameron expressed gratitude towards both ATF CMPD their efforts investigating prosecuting matter Assistant Nick J Miller from Office handled proceedings
