Goldsboro man sentenced on federal drug charges
By From staff reports
Published in News on August 8, 2012 1:46 PM
WILMINGTON -- Demoris Sinclair Thompson, 21, of Goldsboro Tuesday was sentenced in federal district court to 72 months in prison in connection with charges relating to a drug deal that went bad.
The sentence is to be followed by five years of probation.
A federal grand jury returned an indictment against Thompson on Dec. 21, 2011, and Thompson pleaded guilty on April 23 to conspiring to possess with intent to distribute and distribution of a quantity of marijuana and using, carrying, and possessing firearms during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime.
According to evidence presented in court, on March 28, 2011, co-defendant Eric Henry met Joel Artis at a Goldsboro store and offered to sell him some marijuana. Arrangements were made for a time and place were set for the drug deal.
Artis went to the location and waited. Co-defendant Isiah Young got into Artis' car and handed him approximately 782 grams of marijuana.
As Artis turned to put the bag in the back seat, he saw Thompson walking up on the side of the vehicle. Artis looked back at Young who pointed a gun at him. As Thompson got in the back seat, Artis grabbed his own gun and shot Young.
A fight ensued between Artis and Young, with Artis firing his weapon again before Young and Thompson fled on foot.
Police officers, responding to a 911 call, saw a vehicle committing traffic violations. The officers stopped the vehicle, which contained Henry, Thompson, Young and a driver. Young had been shot.
After smelling marijuana, officers saw a plastic bag full of marijuana in plain view and two guns, covered with blood, were on the floorboard. Henry, Thompson, and Young were arrested.
During a search of Artis' vehicle, officers found a small amount of cocaine, marijuana, and set of scales.
This case was part of the Project Safe Neighborhoods initiative.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Goldsboro Police Department investigated the case.