A man from New Bern has been sentenced to 64 months in prison for his involvement in a drug trafficking organization operating in Craven County. Robert Niquan Bryant, 26, admitted guilt on November 21, 2024, to charges of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute over 50 grams of methamphetamine and over 40 grams of fentanyl. He also pled guilty to distributing over 50 grams of methamphetamine. Bryant is associated with the United Blood Nation street gang.
Court documents reveal that the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), alongside the Craven County Sheriff’s Office (CCSO), the New Bern Police Department, and other local law enforcement agencies, launched an investigation into the drug trafficking operations in December 2023. Bryant was identified as a distributor for the organization. In March and April of 2024, he sold more than 100 grams of methamphetamine during controlled purchases made by a confidential informant.
The case was part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation aimed at dismantling high-level drug traffickers and criminal organizations using a collaborative approach among federal, state, and local agencies.
Daniel P. Bubar, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina announced the sentencing following Judge Terrence W. Boyle's decision. The ATF, CCSO, and New Bern Police Department were involved in investigating this case while Assistant U.S. Attorneys Caroline Webb and Julie Childress handled prosecution.
Further details can be accessed through court documents available on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or PACER under Case No. 4:24-cr-00046-BO-BM.