Four suspects arrested in a 2018 undercover drug operation were sentenced to prison, according to a news release from the Southern Pines Police Department.
The drug sting spearheaded by Southern Pines Police Department was called “Operation Leader” and resulted in the arrest of several people.
Authorities with the investigation seized over 20 kilograms of cocaine, two pounds of crystal methamphetamine, five ounces of heroin, six firearms, over $85,000 in cash, and a 2009 Toyota Venza.
Three of the suspects were sentenced to federal prison in a Greensboro court are from Moore County.
Lee Marvin Harris Jr., of Aberdeen, pled guilty to possession with the intent to distribute cocaine and was sentenced to serve seven years in prison, followed by six years of supervised release.
Lamar Orlando Sealy, of Southern Pines, pled guilty to the charge of conspiracy to distribute cocaine. Sealy was sentenced to serve over four years in prison, followed by five years of supervised release.
Christian Jovonn Terry, of Southern Pines, pled guilty to the charge of possession with intent to distribute cocaine and was sentenced to over 3 years in prison, followed by three years of supervised release.
The fourth suspect, Gonzalo Cervantes Gomez, of Mexico, pled guilty to conspiracy to distribute cocaine hydorchloride and was sentenced to to serve over 11 years in prison, followed by five years of supervised release.
The news release stated, “Several criminal proceedings in Moore County and Lee County Superior Courts remain in progress for those defendants who are being prosecuted on the state law enforcement level.”
Agencies assisting with “Operation Leader” included the FBI, SBI, Aberdeen Police Department, Lee County Sheriff’s Office, Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department, Winston Salem Police Department, Davie County Sheriff’s Office, the United States District Court for the Middle District of North Carolina and the North Carolina National Guard.
“Operation Leader was the mission name of a successful air attack conducted by the United States against German shipping vessels during World War II,” said Southern Pines Police Chief Bob Temme last year during the arrests. “Operation Leader damaged the German war effort by considerably disrupting the German convoy system.”
Photo: L, R; Christian Jovonn Terry, Lee Marvin Harris Jr., Lamar Orlando Sealy.
~Written by Sandhills Sentinel Publisher B.J. Goodridge.
