Wilmington man sentenced to nine years for heroin distribution

NEW HANOVER COUNTY, NC (WWAY) — A Wilmington man was sentenced to nine years, followed by three years of supervised release after pleading guilty on August 28, 2018 to one count of distribution of and possession with intent to distribute heroin.

According to the United States Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, Robert J. Higdon, Jr., announced that United States District Judge James C. Dever, III sentenced Richardo Quamaine Tillery.

On April 25, 2017, agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives used a confidential informant to conduct a controlled purchase of 50 dosage units of heroin from Tillery. The transaction occurred inside a wired undercover apartment, which ATF employed to investigate gang and drug activity in the Wilmington area.

According to the press release agents observed the transaction as it occurred through a remote live feed. Tillery’s sale to the confidential informant was not an isolated occurrence, at sentencing, the court determined Tillery’s past conduct involved the distribution of over one kilogram of heroin.

The investigation of this case was conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant United States Attorney Jake D. Pugh represented the government.