Raleigh Man Convicted of Federal Drug and Firearms Charges Sentenced to 20 Years in Prison

RALEIGH – The United States Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, Robert J. Higdon, Jr., announced that today, United States District Judge James C. Dever III sentenced ANDREW HARGETT, JR. 46, to 240 months imprisonment followed by 8 years of supervised release.  HARGETT was also fined $10,000.00.  HARGETT was convicted by a federal jury on August 22, 2018 of possession with the intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine, possession with the intent to distribute cocaine and crack cocaine, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and being a felon in possession of a firearm.

The evidence presented at trial established that HARGETT regularly traveled to Atlanta, Georgia to obtain kilogram quantities of cocaine and transported the drugs back to Raleigh, North Carolina in rental vehicles for distribution.  The investigation resulted in the seizure of over 2 ½ kilograms of cocaine, crack cocaine, $142,000.00, and a firearm that were recovered from his residence, two vehicles, and two storage lockers.  This prosecution resulted in helping to choke the supply line of cocaine into the Metropolitan Raleigh area.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone.   Since 2017 the United States Department of Justice has reinvigorated the PSN program and has targeted violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent crime.

That effort has been implemented through the Take Back North Carolina Initiative of The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of North Carolina.  This initiative emphasizes the regional assignment of federal prosecutors to work with law enforcement and District Attorney’s Offices on a sustained basis in those communities to reduce the violent crime rate, drug trafficking, and crimes against law enforcement.

The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives (ATF), Nash County Sheriff’s Office, Wilson Police Department, Raleigh Police Department, and the Rocky Mount Police Department.  Assistant United States Attorney James Kurosad prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.