Wilmington Man Sentenced to Over 12 Years in Prison

RALEIGH—United States Attorney Thomas G. Walker announced that in federal court yesterday United States District Judge Terrence W. Boyle sentenced Donald Ray Boston, 39, of Wilmington, North Carolina, to 151 months’ imprisonment followed by three years’ supervised release.

On August 10, 2011, a federal grand jury returned a criminal indictment. On November 3, 2011, Boston pled guilty to possessing with intent to distribute a quantity of heroin.

According to the investigation, in May, 2011, Wilmington Police Vice and Narcotics Detectives received information that Boston was selling heroin in the Wilmington area. During the course of this investigation, it was learned that Boston would acquire the heroin from New York. On June 9, 2011, Wilmington Detectives learned that Boston was returning from New York. Later that day, a traffic stop was conducted of the vehicle in which Boston was a passenger. A narcotics K-9 was allowed to walk around and inside the vehicle. In a backpack belonging to Boston, the dog detected narcotics. A search of the backpack revealed 41 grams of heroin.

This case was brought as a part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) Operation entitled WoofPack, investigating importers and multi-level distributors of heroin, cocaine, crack cocaine, and gang activity associated with this distribution.

Investigation of this case is being conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigations (Safe Streets Task Force); the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms and Explosives; the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation; the Wilmington Police Department; the Greenville Police Department; and the New Hanover County Sheriff’s Office. Special Assistant United States Attorney Timothy Severo represents the government. Mr. Severo is a prosecutor with the New Hanover District Attorney’s Office. District Attorney Ben David has assigned him to the United States Attorney’s office to prosecute federal Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force criminal matters.