Raleigh Man Receives More Than 21 Years for His Role in Drug Trafficking Organization

NEW BERN — The United States Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, Robert J. Higdon, Jr., announced that today, United States District Judge Louise W. Flanagan sentenced JARMAINE ANDERSON, 30, of Raleigh to 262 months’ imprisonment, followed by 6 years of supervised release.  On August 27, 2018 ANDERSON pled guilty to conspiracy to distribute 280 grams or more of crack cocaine, distribution of 28 grams or more of crack cocaine, two counts of distribution of a quantity of crack cocaine and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.

On February 7, 2019, United States District Judge Louise W. Flanagan previously sentenced ANDERSON’s co-conspirators, BOB BIONGO, 32, of Raleigh, and WILLIAM DANIELS, 39, also of Raleigh, for their respective roles in the conspiracy to distribute crack cocaine.  BIONGO received 180 months’ imprisonment followed by 10 years of supervised release, and DANIELS received 211 months’ imprisonment followed by 4 years of supervised release

Beginning in December 2016, the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s (FBI) Safe Streets Task Force (Raleigh) and the Raleigh Police Department’s Career Criminal Unit conducted a long-term investigation into ANDERSON’s drug trafficking activities.  Between December 28, 2016 and June 14, 2017, law enforcement purchased more than 10 ounces of crack cocaine from ANDERSON.  During these controlled purchases, ANDERSON sold drugs in locations including: the bathroom of a Raleigh restaurant in the middle of the day; across the street from St. Augustine University; and, within a tenth of a mile of Mary Phillips High School in Raleigh.

 In addition, during the investigation, law enforcement made a controlled purchase of a stolen 9mm handgun from ANDERSON near Carnage Middle School in Raleigh on February 7, 2017.

The investigation revealed that ANDERSON had several sources of supply including BOB BIONGO and WILLIAM DANIELS.  On June 15, 2017, the FBI Safe Streets Task Force and the Raleigh Police Department Career Criminal Unit served a search warrant on BIONGO’s residence on North Hills Drive, Raleigh.  Law enforcement found more than a kilogram of crack cocaine and a cocaine press.  BIONGO fled from the police during the process of the search, but was apprehended after a short foot chase.  On January 23, 2018, DANIELS was arrested in Louisburg, North Carolina after he fled Raleigh to avoid a federal arrest.  During the investigation, law enforcement discovered that DANIELS flushed a quantity of crack cocaine down the toilet before he was arrested. 

This prosecution is part of an extensive investigation by the United States Attorney’s Office’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) entitled Damu Demolition, targeting gangs and crack cocaine distribution in southeast North Carolina.  OCDETF is a joint federal, state, and local cooperative approach to combat drug trafficking and is the nation’s primary tool for disrupting and dismantling major drug trafficking organizations, targeting national and regional level drug trafficking organizations, and coordinating the necessary law enforcement entities and resources to disrupt or dismantle the targeted criminal organization and seize their assets.

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.

This investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Safe Streets Task Force (Raleigh) and the Raleigh Police Department Career Criminal Unit.  Assistant United States Attorney Timothy M. Severo handled the prosecution of this case for the government.