Saint Pauls Man Sentenced to Eight Years for Drug Distribution

RALEIGH – United States Attorney Robert J. Higdon, Jr. announced that today in federal court, United States District Judge James C. Dever III sentenced STANLEY JAMAR RAGIN, 46, of Saint Pauls, North Carolina, to 96 months imprisonment, followed by 4 years of supervised release.

RAGIN was named in a three-count Superseding Indictment filed on May 2, 2018, charging him with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 100 grams or more of heroin (Count One) and two counts of distribution of a quantity of heroin (Counts Two and Three).  On January 7, 2019, RAGIN pled guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 100 grams or more of heroin and distribution of a quantity of heroin (Counts One and Two).

In 2016, agents began investigating RAGIN based on information that he was a large-scale heroin supplier in the Fayetteville area. On December 19, 2016, agents conducted a controlled purchase of 27.51 grams of heroin from RAGIN for $1,700. On December 22, 2016, agents conducted a controlled purchase of 26.89 grams of heroin from RAGIN for $1,870.

Agents also interviewed witnesses who stated that RAGIN had been actively selling heroin from at least 2014. One witness had repeatedly received large amounts of heroin from RAGIN, which the witness then further distributed to others. In total, RAGIN was held accountable for between 400 and 700 grams of heroin.

Additionally, a witness stated that while he and the Defendant were detained in this case, RAGIN made threatening statements to the witness.

This prosecution is part of an extensive investigation by the United States Attorney’s Office’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF). 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.

Investigation of this case was conducted by the Fayetteville Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Scott A. Lemmon represented the government.