⏱ 2 min read
Shymetrus Datre Steele, a 27-year-old from Mount Gilead, North Carolina, was on probation for attempted trafficking cocaine and possession with intent to sell or deliver a Schedule II controlled substance when he made a drastic mistake. On a probation visit, Steele ran from North Carolina Probation and Parole Officers while holding narcotics and a handgun. This brazen move ultimately led to his downfall, as he was later sentenced to 60 months in prison for possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
According to court records, Steele pleaded guilty to the charges on April 7, 2026. The case was investigated by a collaborative effort between Probation and Parole with the North Carolina Department of Adult Corrections, the Troy Police Department, the Mount Gilead Police Department, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
The sentencing is a result of the Department of Justice’s Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) initiative, which aims to combat violent crime and make communities safe by coordinating federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement efforts. As part of Operation Take Back America, PSN serves as a key component in the Department’s commitment to making the country safe.
Steele’s sentence of 60 months in prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release, serves as a deterrent to those who would engage in similar crimes. The prosecution of Steele’s case was handled by Assistant United States Attorney Mary Ann Courtney for the Middle District of North Carolina.
📋 Key Facts
- Crime: Drug Trafficking
- Defendant: North Carolina
- Location: NC
- Source: DOJ Press Release
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