Wilmington Source of Methamphetamine Receives 21 Years in Federal Prison

RALEIGH – United States Attorney Robert J. Higdon, Jr. announced that in federal court, United States District Judge James C. Dever III sentenced Aaron ROBICHAUX, 36, of New Hanover County North Carolina, to 252 months imprisonment, followed by 5 years of supervised release.

  On April 15, 2019, ROBICHAUX pled guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute five-hundred (500) grams or more of methamphetamine, possession with intent to distribute a quantity of methamphetamine and cocaine and aiding and abetting another, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.

On April 11, 2018, the Federal Bureau of Investigations made a controlled purchase of a quantity of crystal methamphetamine from Anthony Capps, Jr. who had been supplied the methamphetamine by ROBICHAUX in Wilmington, North Carolina.

On April 19, 2018, the FBI again made a controlled purchase from Capps of approximately 2 ounces of crystal methamphetamine that had been supplied by ROBICHAUX.

On June 21, 2018, the New Hanover County Sheriff’s Narcotics Section served a search warrant at ROBICHAUX’S residence in Wilmington.  Law enforcement found an ounce of cocaine, approximately an ounce of methamphetamine, a loaded 9mm handgun, a loaded .380 caliber handgun and more than $27,000 in United States Currency.

Law enforcement found an additional ounce of methamphetamine and more than $1,000 on ROBICHAUX after he was placed under arrest.  Meghan Kunz, who also resided at the residence, was arrested at a later time.

According to law enforcement and information obtained from the investigation, between the summer of 2017 and April 2018, ROBICHAUX distributed approximately a pound and a half of methamphetamine in Eastern North Carolina. On at least one occasion, ROBICHAUX had Kunz transport methamphetamine concealed on her person.

Kunz and Capps have previously been sentenced in Federal Court.  Kunz received a 60 month prison sentence and four years supervised release and Capps received a 72 month prison sentence and 5 years supervised release.

This case is part of the Take Back North Carolina Initiative of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of North Carolina.  This initiative emphasizes the regional assignment of federal prosecutors to work with law enforcement and District Attorney’s Offices on a sustained basis in those communities to reduce the violent crime rate, drug trafficking, and crimes against law enforcement.

This case is part of a Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) lead OCDETF operation “Fall of the House of Usher” and required extensive investigation.  An Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation such as this focuses on National and International distribution of methamphetamine and firearms associated with this organization into southeastern North Carolina.

The Drug Enforcement Administration, Federal Bureau of Investigations, Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms, the Duplin County Sheriff’s Office, the New Hanover County Sheriff’s Office, the Sampson County Sheriff’s Office, the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation and the Wilmington Police Department conducted this investigation.  Assistant United States Attorney Timothy Severo prosecuted the case on behalf of the government.