Christopher Minto Sentenced to Over 13 Years for Drug Trafficking

WILMINGTON, N.C. – The grim reality of the streets collided with justice on September 9, 2020, as Christopher Minto, a 37-year-old Wilmington resident, was handed down a 165-month federal prison sentence for his involvement in a drug trafficking syndicate that terrorized the community with methamphetamine and cocaine.

Minto’s crime spree, which spanned from July to August 2019, reached its peak on August 5 when he was caught with a stash of crack and cocaine during a traffic stop. New Hanover County Narcotics Detectives had their eyes on Minto after witnessing his car depart from his residence, heading straight for the McDonald’s parking lot on Gordon Road.

But this was just the beginning. A subsequent search of Minto’s Ovalberry Court residence yielded 114 grams of meth, 10 ounces of cocaine, and a loaded .25 caliber handgun—a arsenal of death in furtherance of his drug empire. The investigation uncovered that Minto had distributed over 250 grams of meth, almost half a kilogram of cocaine, and an ounce of heroin before his capture.

Robert J. Higdon, Jr., the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, announced the sentence following sentencing by U.S. District Judge Richard E. Myers II. The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the New Hanover County Sheriff’s Office played pivotal roles in the case, while Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy Severo prosecuted it.

This conviction is a part of the OCDETF investigation “White Rabbit,” which targeted an organization responsible for importing heroin and methamphetamine into Eastern North Carolina. For more information on this case and related court documents, visit the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina’s website or PACER by searching Case No. 7:20-cr-00059-M.

The Department of Justice is celebrating its 150th anniversary in 2020, highlighting the ongoing fight against crime and drug trafficking across the nation. Learn more about this historic milestone at www.Justice.gov/Celebrating150Years.