A federal jury has convicted Homer Allen Faison, III, a native of Sampson County, on twelve counts related to the distribution and conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. The charges stem from his role as the leader of a large-scale drug trafficking operation that moved methamphetamine from California into communities in Eastern North Carolina.
U.S. Attorney Ellis Boyle commented on the outcome, stating, “This verdict sends a strong message: if you flood our communities with deadly drugs, we will come after you. This defendant chose to run a major cross country methamphetamine operation, and now he will face the consequences. Our office will continue to protect the people of North Carolina with unwavering resolve.”
Alicia Jones, Special Agent in Charge at the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), noted the collective effort involved in dismantling the organization. “Through a collaborative effort, ATF and our law enforcement partners disrupted a dangerous drug dealing network that stretched from coast to coast,” she said. “Bringing an end to this criminal operation will have a major impact on bettering public safety in our community.”
Sampson County Sheriff Jimmy Thornton also expressed appreciation for interagency cooperation: “I am truly grateful for the cooperation between my office, our federal partners, and the United States Attorney’s Office. These partnerships have allowed us to stop the flow of drugs before they even get to Sampson County preventing overdoses and other catastrophic effects.”
Court records show that Faison led an organization responsible for transporting significant quantities of pure methamphetamine from California into Sampson County for distribution. He traveled across state lines to acquire large amounts of drugs and coordinated shipments back east. The group operated continuously from 2020 until Faison’s arrest in May 2023.
Faison is scheduled for sentencing in February 2026 and faces a minimum sentence of 10 years in prison with a possibility of life imprisonment.
The prosecution was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Caroline Webb and Charles Loeser. The investigation involved multiple agencies including the Sampson County Sheriff’s Office, ATF, Clinton Police Department, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Internal Revenue Service (IRS), North Carolina State Bureau of Investigations (NCSBI), along with Assistant U.S. Attorney Tyler Lemons and former Assistant U.S. Attorney Brad Knott.
This case falls under Operation Take Back America—an initiative by the Department of Justice aimed at combating violent crime through coordinated efforts involving Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces.
