MICHAEL KENNETH COX, DRUG TRAFFICKING AND PROCUREMENT FRAUD, NORTH CAROLINA 2024
A former Wayne County Sheriff’s Deputy has been sentenced to 74 months in federal prison for his role in a drug trafficking conspiracy and a procurement mail and wire fraud conspiracy. Michael Kenneth Cox, 49, of North Carolina, was sentenced to 74 months followed by three years of supervised release. He was also ordered to pay a fine of $20,000 and a special assessment of $100.
Cox, who was employed by the Wayne County Sheriff’s Office (WCSO) from 1996 until he retired as the head of the drug unit in 2018, pled guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute quantities of cocaine, methamphetamine, oxycodone, and marijuana. He also pled guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire and mail fraud with his co-defendant Christopher Worth in connection with contracts his business received from WCSO.
Cox’s co-defendant, Christopher Worth, was also charged in connection with the scheme. Worth, who was employed by the Wayne County Sheriff’s Office (WCSO) from 1993 until he retired in 2023, is scheduled to be sentenced next month. He pled guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire and mail fraud.
The investigation into Cox and Worth’s activities was part of a larger operation investigating the trafficking of methamphetamine and other drugs in Onslow, Craven and Wayne Counties that began in 2020. To date, 41 defendants, including Cox and Worth, have been convicted.
According to court documents, Cox used his position to help two drug traffickers operating in Wayne County evade charges. He accomplished this by providing protection under the ruse that they were confidential informants, and in exchange, he received Percocet and Oxycodone that he provided to other people.
The criminal activity of Cox and Worth was uncovered as part of a larger operation that has netted the seizure of 36 firearms, 16 kilograms of methamphetamine, four kilograms of heroin, ¾ of a kilogram of cocaine, and 450 grams of fentanyl – enough for more than 225,000 potentially lethal doses.
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Key Facts
- State: North Carolina
- Category: Drug Trafficking|Fraud & Financial Crimes|Public Corruption
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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