Fayetteville Men Sentenced More Than 10 Years for Drug Distribution and Firearm Offenses

RALEIGH – The United States Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, Robert J. Higdon, Jr., announces that United States District Judge James C. Dever, III, sentenced JOSHUA AARON DAVIS, 40, of Fayetteville, NC, yesterday. Judge Dever sentenced co-defendant CORNELIUS THOMAS on October 9, 2019.  THOMAS was sentenced to 132 months imprisonment and five years of supervised release.  DAVIS was sentenced to 181 months of imprisonment and 5 years of supervised release.

On February 15, 2019, THOMAS pled guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute one hundred grams or more of heroin, five kilograms or more of cocaine, and twenty-eight grams or more of cocaine base (crack), and possession with intent to distribute one hundred grams or more of heroin, a quantity of marijuana, a quantity of cocaine, and twenty-eight grams or more of cocaine base (crack).

On August 19, 2019, DAVIS pled guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute one hundred (100) grams or more of heroin, fifty grams or more of methamphetamine, twenty-eight grams or more of cocaine base (crack), and a quantity of cocaine; possession with intent to distribute a quantity of heroin, marijuana, cocaine, methamphetamine, and twenty-eight grams or more of cocaine base (crack); and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.

In June 2017, law enforcement began an investigation into JOSHUA DAVIS’s drug distribution activity in the Fayetteville area. Through the investigation, law enforcement identified some of DAVIS’s sources of supply, to include CORNELIUS THOMAS. In an investigation spanning over a year, law enforcement conducted numerous purchases of illegal controlled substances from both THOMAS and DAVIS.

In October 2018, THOMAS and DAVIS were both arrested federally, and search warrants of their residences were executed. Both men had significant quantities of a variety of controlled substances at their residences. In addition, DAVIS also possessed a firearm located in close proximity to evidence of controlled substance distribution.

This case is part of the United States Attorney’s Office’s Take Back North Carolina Initiative.  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.  For additional information about this initiative, click here https://www.justice.gov/usao-ednc/tbnc.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation and Fayetteville Police Department investigated this case.  Assistant United States Attorney Lucy Brown prosecuted this case for the government.