WILMINGTON — A years-long operation that sought to eliminate a wide-ranging drug trafficking ring actually began with two sizable heroin seizures in Sampson and Duplin counties, made on the same day in the summer of 2016.

On Thursday, U.S. Attorney Robert J. Higdon, Jr. announced the conclusion of Operation “Tooth Fairy,” an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) operation that aimed to drive out the drug decay through a join federal, state and local effort.

Convictions have been handed down in the multi-agency investigation, which probed a heroin/fentanyl trafficking ring operating around Wilmington and surrounding counties. Investigation was conducted by the FBI’s Safe Streets and Coastal Carolina Criminal Enterprise Task Forces; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; U.S. Marshals Service Fugitive Task Force; and the Wilmington Police Department (Gang Unit).

Sheriff’s Offices in Sampson, Duplin and New Hanover counties were also involved, along with the Elizabethtown Police Department and North Carolina Highway Patrol.

It all started in Sampson and Duplin, authorities noted.

According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, on July 26, 2016, Terek “Reek” Harper, 34, of New Jersey, was stopped in Sampson County for a traffic violation and found to be in possession of a large quantity of heroin. Harper was travelling to Wilmington to distribute the heroin.

On July 26, 2016, the same day Harper was stopped in Sampson, Duplin County Sheriff’s deputies and the N.C. Highway Patrol attempted to stop a car driven by Andrew Jerome Lige, 40, aka “Shotgun,” of Wilmington.

Lige led law enforcement on a lengthy chase through Duplin, reaching speeds in excess of 115 miles per hour. During the chase, Kevin Simpkins, 50, the passenger in the car, threw out a bag containing more than 9,800 bags of heroin (more than 130 grams).

It was later determined that Lige had been making trips to New Jersey to acquire heroin for distribution in eastern North Carolina, authorities said.

On Sept. 19, 2016, in a joint investigation between the FBI’s Safe Streets Task Force and the New Hanover County Sheriff’s Office Vice Division, law enforcement arranged an undercover purchase of heroin from Deandre Sweet, 27. When Sweet arrived in a parking lot in Wilmington to complete the sale, law enforcement stopped his rental car and found 500 bags of heroin.

In the same joint investigation, between June and October 2017, law enforcement conducted several undercover purchases of heroin from Kyeric Sweet, 25, and Diquelle Sweet, 22. The investigation revealed that Lige was a source of supply for the Sweets, authorities said.

On Oct. 12, 2017, law enforcement arrested Kyeric Sweet in possession of a quantity of heroin and more than $2,500. On Oct. 10, 2017, Diquelle Sweet was a passenger in a vehicle that attempted to flee from the Elizabethtown Police following a traffic checking station. Officers stopped the vehicle and found him seated on a loaded Taurus 9mm handgun with a bullet in the chamber, according to reports.

On Nov. 26, 2017, Lige was the victim of a home invasion robbery. He was shot and found in close proximity to a handgun. At the time of the robbery, Lige, a convicted felon, was prohibited from possessing handgun.

Just four days later, New Hanover County Sheriff’s detectives searched Shawqui Gray’s residence and a trailer on the property, seizing more than 130 grams of a heroin/fentanyl mixture, more than 150 grams of a mixture of heroin and ketamine, 90 grams of heroin, five loaded handguns — two were stolen — and more than $47,000 in cash.

The investigation uncovered that Gray, 37, had been involved in the distribution of more than a kilogram and half of heroin and fentanyl from 2017 until the time of his arrest.

At the time of his arrest in November 2017, Gray was a fugitive from Pennsylvania. On Aug. 4, 2016, the Easton Police Department in Pennsylvania searched Gray’s residence there. Law enforcement found 20 grams of heroin, 68 grams of crack cocaine and more than $19,000 in cash, according to reports.

On Feb. 26, 2018, ATF agents and the Wilmington Police Department received information that Lige was transporting a load of heroin to the Wilmington area. Law enforcement subsequently stopped a BMW occupied by Lige and Tony Sims, 52, discovering 5,000 bags of heroin, about 100 grams in total.

Bringing it full circle, one year ago on April 5, 2018, some 20 months after being stopped in Sampson, Harper was arrested at a motel in Wilmington by the U.S. Marshals Service Fugitive Task Force and the Wilmington Police Department. He was reportedly found in possession of more than 3,400 bags of heroin (approximately 68 grams) and more than 9,000 in cash.

Suspects involved in the drug trafficking have received prison sentences ranging from two to 17 years.

• Shawqui Gray, 37, of Wilmington, was sentenced to 204 months’ imprisonment in February 2019. Gray pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute 100 grams or more of heroin and a quantity of fentanyl, possession with intent to distribute 100 grams and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense.

• Andrew Jerome Lige, 40, of Wilmington, was sentenced to 132 months’ imprisonment on Jan. 9, 2019. He pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute 100 grams or more of heroin and possess with the intent to distribute 100 grams or more of heroin.

• Kevin Simpkins, 50, of Wilmington, was sentenced to 132 months’ imprisonment. He pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute 100 grams or more of heroin and possess with the intent to distribute 100 grams or more of heroin.

• Deandre Sweet, 27, of Wilmington, was sentenced to 105 months’ imprisonment in October 2018. He pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute a quantity of heroin and possess with intent to distribute a quantity of heroin.

• Diquelle Sweet, 22, of Wilmington, was sentenced to 105 months imprisonment in September 2018. He pleaded guilty to five counts of distribution of a quantity of heroin and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.

• Kyeric Sweet, 25, of Wilmington, was sentenced to 90 months’ imprisonment on October 2018. He pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute a quantity of heroin.

• Terek Harper, 34, of New Jersey, pleaded guilty to conspiring to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute a 100 grams or more of heroin and possession with intent to distribute 100 grams or more of heroin. He was sentenced to 87 months’ imprisonment on April 1, 2019. He is awaiting sentencing in North Carolina State Court and faces a mandatory minimum active sentence to be served following the expiration of his federal sentence.

• Tony Sims, 52, of Wilmington, was sentenced to 48 months’ imprisonment in January 2019. He pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute a quantity of heroin and possession with the intent to distribute a quantity of heroin.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy Severo prosecuted the cases on behalf of the government.

In July 2016, traffic stops in Duplin and Sampson netted thousands of bags of heroin, including 9.800 bags (130 grams) thrown out during a vehicle pursuit in Duplin. Authorities later determined that heroin was being delivered from New Jersey for distribution in eastern North Carolina. Eight have been convicted in the years-long case.
https://www.clintonnc.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/web1_fentanyl-seized.jpgIn July 2016, traffic stops in Duplin and Sampson netted thousands of bags of heroin, including 9.800 bags (130 grams) thrown out during a vehicle pursuit in Duplin. Authorities later determined that heroin was being delivered from New Jersey for distribution in eastern North Carolina. Eight have been convicted in the years-long case.
Multi-year ‘Tooth Fairy’ disrupts heroin, fentanyl trafficking

Staff reports

Editor Chris Berendt can be reached at 910-592-8137 ext. 2587.