A day after five people were taken in on federal drug conspiracy charges as part of a yearlong multi-agency operation, another nine Sampson suspects are facing a slew of felony charges in what authorities have deemed “a violent multi-defendant drug trafficking organization.”

The Sampson County Sheriff’s Office, the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of North Carolina and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) on Thursday announced the first wave of arrests “pursuant to federal criminal complaints for narcotics conspiracy in Sampson County,” with Sheriff Jimmy Thornton promising more arrests to come. By Friday morning, another nine had been taken into custody.

A federal Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) criminal matter, the case was investigated by a laundry list of county, state and federal agencies.

“Over 100 federal, state and local officers were involved in the culmination of this task force’s work,” Thornton stated. During the investigation, law enforcement was able to seize over 11 pounds of cocaine and purchase several firearms.

The nine new arrests announced Friday include:

• William Darrell Garner, 38, of 31 Abron St., Clinton, received 47 charges in total. He was charged with conspiring to traffic cocaine; five counts of delivering cocaine; two counts of delivering methamphetamine; delivering a Schedule II controlled substance; two counts of maintaining a place/dwelling for sale or storage of a controlled substance; three counts of possession with intent to manufacture, sell and deliver meth; five counts of possession with intent to manufacture, sell and deliver a Schedule II controlled substance; five counts of possession with intent to sell and deliver cocaine; five counts of selling cocaine; two counts of selling meth; two counts of selling or delivering a Schedule II controlled substance; selling a Schedule II controlled substance; three counts of trafficking in meth; and 10 counts of trafficking in opium or heroin. Garner received $1.5 million secured bond.

• Gregory Antwan Bright, 31, of 9620 Turkey Hwy., Turkey, was charged with conspiring to traffic cocaine and probation violation. His bond was set at $95,000 secured.

• Deames Frederick Henry, 36, of 54 Sugar Hill Lane, Garland, was charged with conspiring to traffic cocaine, possession with intent to sell and deliver cocaine, possession of drug paraphernalia and 15 counts of possession of a firearm by felon. Henry’s bond was set at $155,000 secured.

• Braylynn Spencer, 24, of 12090 Old Mintz Hwy., Garland, was charged with conspiring to traffic cocaine. Bond set at $75,000 secured.

• Darryl Clifton McKoy, 34, of 96 Stetson Ave., Garland, was charged with conspiring to traffic cocaine. Bond set at $75,000 secured.

• Robert Antonio Parker II, 30, of 706 Williams St., Clinton, was charged with conspiring to traffic cocaine. Bond set at $75,000 secured.

• Willie James Smith Jr., 56, of 455 Gibbs Road, Garland, was charged with conspiring to traffic cocaine. Bond set at $75,000 secured.

• Harry Thomas Oates Jr., 48, of 372 Emmanus Church Road, Dudley, was charged with conspiring to traffic cocaine. Bond set at $75,000 secured.

• Michael Alexander Vann, 25, of 125 Clinton Ave., Garland, was charged with possession with intent to sell and deliver cocaine, possession of firearm by felon and possession of stolen goods. Bond set at $30,000

Along with the Sampson Sheriff’s Office and the ATF, the federal task force included the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation Division, Jacksonville Police Department, Onslow County Sheriff’s Office, New Hanover County Sheriff’s Office, U.S. Probation Office, the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation, the North Carolina Department of Revenue and Sampson County Emergency Services.

The nine arrests announced Friday come on the heels of the five arrested on federal complaints Thursday, including Antonio McKoy, 30, of Garland; James Daniel McKoy, 51, of Garland; Bryant Carr, 37, of Roseboro; Andrekia Parker, 23, of Garland; and Anthony Barnes, 30, of Turkey.

Spencer
https://www.clintonnc.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/web1_braylynn-spencer-1.jpgSpencer

McKoy
https://www.clintonnc.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/web1_darryl-mckoy-1.jpgMcKoy

Henry
https://www.clintonnc.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/web1_deames-henry-1.jpgHenry

Bright
https://www.clintonnc.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/web1_gregory-bright-1.jpgBright

Vann
https://www.clintonnc.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/web1_michael-vann-1.jpgVann

Parker
https://www.clintonnc.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/web1_robert-parker-II-1.jpgParker

Garner
https://www.clintonnc.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/web1_william-garner-1.jpgGarner

Smith
https://www.clintonnc.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/web1_willie-smith-1.jpgSmith

Oates
https://www.clintonnc.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/web1_Harry-Thomas-Oates-1.jpgOates
Charges against nine additional suspects

By Chris Berendt

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Reach Managing Editor Chris Berendt at 910-249-4616. Follow the paper on twitter @SampsonInd and like us on Facebook.