Pasquotank County Stats
Below are the seizures related to search warrants executed for drugs since 2020:
Methamphetamine – 10,294 grams
Marijuana – 6,655 grams
Cocaine – 2,374 grams
Fentanyl – 2,668 grams
Mushrooms – 400 grams
Firearms – 60
Cash – $362,326
Pasquotank County vs Elizabeth City Comparison
Compare the Elizabeth City Crime Stats to the stats in Pasquotank County. Pasquotank Sheriff’s Deputies often respond to crimes in Elizabeth City.
Operation Redbeard
This was a partnership with the SBI and FBI and local Agencies to fight against drugs, guns and gangs regionally.
BACKGROUND
Shortly after arriving and establishing a presence in NENC again, we met with Chiefs and Sheriffs in our territory and conducted an informal crime survey in an effort to identify common trends and issues in NENC. The responses were unanimous. All requested help addressing the drugs, guns, and violent crime that was being perpetrated by gang members in their community.
After meeting with Chiefs and Sheriffs, we met with their investigators assigned to working drugs, guns, and gangs and began developing an investigative strategy. We learned about the UBN / G SHINE who were operating in the territory and the types of criminal activity they were engaging in. We implemented meetings to deconflict, coordinate, and develop a strategy to disrupt and dismantle the UBN and eliminate their narcotics and firearms supply lines. The investigative strategy we developed was 2 pronged: Identify and target narcotics and firearms sources of supply and, at the same time, identify the leadership and most violent gang members suitable for prosecution. With that strategy, we decided to build an OCDETF.
Operation Redbeard initiated on 3/7/2018.
Deputized investigators from 8 agencies with Title 21 Authority:
Dare County Sheriff’s Office: Sgt Donovan “Buddy” Ruth, Investigator Richard Johnson, Investigator Tyler Doughtie, Investigator Colby Brook, and Captain Kevin Duprey (FBI TFO)
Nags Head Police Department: Detective Paul Lipscomb
Kill Devil Hills Police Department: Lieutenant Chris Carter
Kitty Hawk Police Department: Detective Justin Langley
Currituck County Sheriff’s Office: Sergeant Kevin Bray, Detective Jesse Taylor, Detective Wesley Alcock
Elizabeth City Police Department: Sgt Ryan Boyce, Officer Jeremy Dowdy, Officer Timothy Bateman, Officer David Hill
Pasquotank County Sheriff’s Office: Investigator Jason Duncan and Captain William Williams (FBI TFO)
NC State Bureau of Investigation: SA Peter Britt and Assistant Special Agent in Charge Steve Norman (FBI TFO)
Additionally, partnered with IRS Criminal Investigation SA Kevin Anderson .
INVESTIGATION: We were very fortunate to start with a really good stable of Confidential Informants that had already been recruited and cultivated by state and local partners. The team utilized the Confidential Informants to make controlled narcotics purchases in order to start gathering evidence against the UBN in NENC. We pulled resources (funding, equipment, and manpower) which enabled us to increase the pace of the investigation. While conducting the controlled purchases, we analyzed and exploited phones in an effort to identify subjects up stream and ultimately work toward the sources of supply. At the same time, we made an effort to share intel at roll call with the TFO parent agencies about specific gang members. That intel lead to traffic stops that resulted in the seizure of firearms and / or narcotics from those gang members and other violent offenders.
As the investigation progressed and we continued to share information and intelligence, were able to gain an understanding of the size, scope, and sophistication of the UBN and their suppliers. We began utilizing more sophisticated techniques to include pen registers, gps trackers, and search warrants. Those techniques helped to locate and identify supply lines that expanded our investigation into southern Florida, southern California, and New Jersey. We coordinated with our state, local, and federal partners in those jurisdictions to assist in collecting intelligence and evidence in support of prosecution in EDNC. As we set out to do, we identified and dismantled significant narcotics and firearms supply lines that were responsible for flooding our communities in NENC with dangerous firearms and lethal narcotics while simultaneously focusing on the UBN leadership and violent offenders at home. The statistics below highlight the collaborative effort put forth by the investigative and prosecutive team.
The operational phase of the investigation has been completed. Currently, there is one defendant awaiting arraignment and, at the conclusion of that, the prosecutive phase of the investigation will be complete.
STATSISTICS
45 Controlled Purchases
15 PEN/TT
5 GPS Trackers
41 SWs (Residences, Properties, Phones, Computers, DVRs, etc)
Narcotics Collected / Seized:
Cocaine: over 14 kilograms
Fentanyl: over 500 grams
Heroin: over 600 grams
Crack: over 300 grams
Marijuana: 24,000 grams
41 Firearms
Seized and Forfeited:
Approximately $550,000
4 Properties (Hotel, Night Club, Residences)
8 Vehicles
51 arrests (48 federal prosecution and 3 state prosecutions)
Narcotics, Firearms, and Money Laundering charges
Dismantled 3 narcotics supply lines:
Eduardo Guerrero DTO – Interdiction operation in Texas (bulk currency headed to MX)
Levar Leary DTO – Interdiction operation in Florida (cocaine and heroin recovered)
Jamaal Dance DTO – Interdiction operation in Virginia (heroin and fentanyl recovered)