⏱ 2 min read
Eugene James, a 48-year-old from Maple Hill, North Carolina, has been sentenced to 10 years in federal prison for distributing meth and fentanyl across Eastern North Carolina. The conviction is the result of a joint investigation by federal and local authorities, including the ATF, New Hanover Sheriff’s Office, and Wilmington and Jacksonville Police Departments, which began in 2024. James pleaded guilty to the charges on January 29, 2026. The investigation found that James was part of a larger drug trafficking organization operating in the region, distributing meth, cocaine, crack, and fentanyl across Pender, Onslow, and New Hanover counties.
Between February and April 2024, undercover agents purchased fentanyl and meth from James at a home in Maple Hill. James was eventually arrested on May 6, 2025, at a home in Onslow County, where authorities found a small amount of narcotics and several firearms. James has a history of violent crime, with prior convictions for assault with a deadly weapon, discharging a firearm into occupied property, and conspiring to distribute crack cocaine.
The prosecution is part of Operation Counterpunch, a Homeland Security Task Force initiative aimed at protecting communities from dangerous narcotics and the offenders who bring them in. U.S. Attorney Ellis Boyle stated that the focus will continue to be on individuals who sell drugs that poison the community, and that James will have 10 years to think about being a productive member of society.
The sentence reflects the seriousness of the crime and the dedication of law enforcement to ensuring the safety of the community. As Jacksonville Police Department Chief Ashley Weaver noted, the investigation is a testament to the effectiveness of cooperation between federal, state, and local partners in removing dangerous narcotics from the streets.
📋 Key Facts
- Crime: Drug Trafficking
- Defendant: North Carolina
- Location: NC
- Source: DOJ Press Release
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