Feds Hand Down Prison Sentence For Accused Meth Trafficker

Feds Hand Down Prison Sentence For Accused Meth Trafficker

A Mount Olive area resident is sentenced in federal court on two meth trafficking charges.  35-year-old Ashley Shackelford of Duplin County was sentenced last week to 90 months in prison for two charges:

  • Conspiracy to Possess with the Intent to Distribute and Distribute 500 grams of a mixture and substance containing Methamphetamine
  • Possess with the Intent to Distribute of 500 grams of a mixture of substance containing Methamphetamine.

In late June, the Drug Enforcement administration, working with Duplin County Narcotics Detectives, learned Shackelford had recently been in possession of several ounces of meth and a firearm at her residence.  Additionally, agents discovered Shackelford was traveling to Georgia to pick up two pounds of meth before returning to Eastern North Carolina.  On July 1st, authorities stopped a vehicle driven by Shackelford with a passenger in Newton Grove.  Detectives reportedly discovered more than a kilogram and a half of meth in the car.

The investigation also revealed Shackelford had sold meth to undercover Mount Olive Police officers in February of 2020 and was found to be in possession of meth at her residence during a search by Wayne County Sheriff’s deputies in December of 2017.

The Drug Enforcement Administration, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Duplin, Sampson and Wilson County Sheriffs’ Offices and the Mount Olive Police Department took part in the investigation.

The investigation was part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) operation.  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.  This OCDETF focuses on a Multi-State Drug Trafficking Organization and Gang Activity that has been responsible for the distribution of large quantities of extremely pure methamphetamine throughout the United States.

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