A Raleigh man, Cory Sean Heard, has been sentenced to 152 months in prison following his guilty plea to charges including wire fraud, conspiracy to distribute and possession with intent to distribute heroin, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking. The sentencing was announced by Daniel P. Bubar, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina.
Heard's legal troubles began on February 8, 2021, when he was stopped by the Raleigh Police Department during a routine traffic check. Officers discovered a 9mm pistol, a bag of heroin, and a digital scale in his vehicle. An investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) revealed that between 2019 and 2021, Heard sold over 100 grams of heroin.
In addition to drug-related charges, Heard was involved in financial fraud. In March 2020, he submitted a fraudulent Economic Injury Disaster Loan application and IRS Form Schedule C for a non-existent business. This led to him receiving a cash advance and additional PPP funds for an alleged car washing business. As part of his sentence resolution, Heard has agreed to pay $140,000 in restitution to the Small Business Administration.
The case was investigated by the Raleigh Police Department and the FBI. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Lori Warlick and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Lisa Labresh under Chief U.S. District Judge Richard E. Myers II.
Court documents related to this case can be accessed through the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or via PACER using Case Nos. 5:21-CR-178-M and 5:23-CR-388-M.