A shocking verdict has been handed down in the Eastern District of North Carolina, with a former police officer found guilty of multiple counts related to drug trafficking and firearms offenses. Antonio Tillmon, a 33-year-old former Windsor City Police Department officer, was convicted of conspiring to distribute controlled substances, attempting to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances, conspiring to use and carry firearms in relation to drug trafficking offenses, using and carrying firearms in relation to drug trafficking offenses, and federal programs bribery.
According to the evidence presented at trial, Tillmon accepted $6,500 from undercover FBI agents posing as drug traffickers in exchange for transporting a total of 30 kilograms of heroin from North Carolina to Maryland over three separate occasions between August 2014 and April 2015. Each transport involved Tillmon carrying his law enforcement badge and a firearm to secure the illicit narcotics.
The evidence also revealed that Tillmon was prepared to use his badge and fake documentation to evade drug interdiction in the event the transport vehicle was stopped. In a disturbing twist, Tillmon agreed to participate in a fourth drug transport, during which he brought five firearms, including an assault rifle accompanied by three magazines of ammunition.
The case against Tillmon was part of a larger investigation into systemic law enforcement corruption in Northampton County, North Carolina. A total of 14 defendants, including 13 law enforcement and correctional officers, were charged in the drug trafficking and firearm conspiracies. While Tillmon is the only defendant to have proceeded to trial, the other defendants have all pleaded guilty to various offenses and are scheduled to be sentenced later this year.
The prosecution of Tillmon was led by Trial Attorneys Lauren Bell and Molly Gaston of the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section, in conjunction with Assistant U.S. Attorney Toby Lathan of the Eastern District of North Carolina. The investigation was conducted by the FBI’s Charlotte Division, Raleigh Resident Agency.
Tillmon is scheduled to be sentenced on August 8, 2017. The guilty verdict sends a clear message that law enforcement corruption will not be tolerated, and that those who abuse their power will be held accountable. As the Grimy Times continues to investigate this story, we will provide updates on any developments in the case.
Defendant: Antonio Tillmon
Exact Charges: Conspiring to distribute controlled substances, attempting to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances, conspiring to use and carry firearms in relation to drug trafficking offenses, using and carrying firearms in relation to drug trafficking offenses, and federal programs bribery
City and State: Windsor, North Carolina
Crime Date: Between August 2014 and April 2015
Sentence: Scheduled to be sentenced on August 8, 2017
Dollar Amount: $6,500
Related Federal Cases
- Antonio Tillmon, Heroin Trafficking, North Carolina 2015 · North Carolina
- Ahkeem Donte Pratt, Gun Trafficking, North Carolina 2015 · North Carolina
- Markel Brown, Armed Cocaine Trafficking, North Carolina 2019 · Louisiana
- Dominique Hope, Cocaine Trafficking, North Carolina 2019 · North Carolina
- Aaron Vincent Schweidler, Conspiracy to Manufacture and Distribute Anabolic Steroids, North Carolina 2016 · North Carolina
Key Facts
- State: North Carolina
- Category: Drug Trafficking|Public Corruption
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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