RALEIGH, N.C. – The grim streets of North Carolina have yet another name added to its lengthy criminal chronicle as Derrick O’Brian Hamlett, a 32-year-old from Lynchburg, Virginia, was found guilty by a federal jury of multiple drug trafficking charges.
Hamlett’s crime spree included possession with intent to distribute heroin, fentanyl, methamphetamine, cocaine, and the illegal substance ANPP. The jury also convicted him of possessing a firearm in relation to a drug trafficking offense and as a felon, a clear violation of his rights.
The evidence against Hamlett was overwhelming. On October 26, 2022, he was stopped for a traffic violation in Vance County. A keen-eyed detective detected the telltale scent of marijuana emanating from the vehicle. Inside, they found more than just cannabis – a backpack containing a stolen pistol, a loaded magazine, and a stash of drugs that would shock even the most jaded law enforcement professionals.
The backpack belonged to Hamlett, who was also carrying his identification card and social security card within its confines. His felony status meant he was legally barred from owning a firearm, yet here he was with a deadly weapon in his possession.
Hamlett’s sentence is now set to land him in prison for at least five years, but it could be life behind bars depending on the judge’s discretion.
U.S. District Judge James C. Dever III accepted the jury’s verdict after it was announced by Acting U.S. Attorney Daniel P. Bubar. The Vance County Sheriff’s Office, with support from the ATF and Sampson County Sheriff’s Office, led the investigation into this drug trafficking ring. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jermaine Sellers and David Beraka took the case to trial and secured a conviction.
For more information on this case, visit the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or PACER by searching for Case No.5:24-cr-00043-D-KS.
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Key Facts
- State: North Carolina
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Drug Trafficking|Fraud & Financial Crimes|Violent Crime|Weapons
- Source: Official Source ↗
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