Defendants with federal charges originating in Lee County have been sentenced to a total of 942 months – 78 and a half years – since the beginning of 2019, the Middle District of North Carolina’s U.S. Attorney announced in a press release Friday.

The most recent case, that of 43-year-old Leo Vistor Percell Jr., was disposed of Friday, with Percell being sentenced to nearly six years in federal prison after pleading guilty to selling fentanyl (which he allegedly represented to be heroin) to an informant working with the Sanford Police Department and the ATF. Percell will be required to serve three years of supervised release after his active sentence.

“Our state and local law enforcement partners are working hand in hand with federal prosecutors and agents to improve public safety in Sanford and Lee County,” Martin said in the press release. “We will continue working together to implement data-driven Project Safe Neighborhood strategies to reduce violent crime by focusing on gun violators and other criminals in the area.”

Percell’s sentencing is the most recent event in a series of cases resulting from a coordinated effort among federal, state, and local law enforcement intended to reduce violent and gun-related crime in Sanford and Lee County. At least 12 defendants from the area, including Percell, have been sentenced for firearm or drug offenses in U.S. District Court for the Middle District of North Carolina in 2019. Several others have pleaded guilty and are scheduled to be sentenced before the end of the year. The cases from Sanford and Lee County include the following:

  • Jamar Lacobly Alston, 32, of Broadway, who pleaded guilty in August to being a felon in possession of ammunition. Sentencing is scheduled for November.

  • Joshua Tajhai Brewington, 25, of Sanford, who pleaded guilty in August to being a felon in possession of a firearm. Sentencing is scheduled for later this month.

  • Christopher Clamon Bridges, 31, of Sanford, who pleaded guilty in October 2018 to being a felon in possession of ammunition. He was sentenced in January to 18 months in prison and three years of supervised release.

  • Robert Bernard Fox, II, 19, of Sanford, who pleaded guilty in July to to receipt of a firearm by a person under indictment. He was sentenced in September to 20 months in prison and three years of supervised release.

  • Jimanda Dwayne Gibbs, 43, of Sanford, who pleaded guilty in August to to being a felon in possession of a firearm. He was sentenced in August to to more than two years in prison and three years of supervised release.

  • Maurice Danjuan Gill, 44, of Sanford, who pleaded guilty in March to distribution of cocaine base and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. He was sentenced in June to almost 10 years in prison and five years of supervised release.

  • Randy Ross Hunter, 41, of Sanford, who pleaded guilty in March to being a felon in possession of a firearm. He was sentenced in June to 15 years in prison and five years of supervised release.

  • Travon Emmanuel Jones, 28, of Sanford, who pleaded guilty in October 2018 to possession with intent to distribute heroin and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. He was sentenced in April to more than six years in prison and three years of supervised release.

  • Dennis Minter, 36, of Sanford, who pleaded guilty in March to distribution of cocaine base. He was sentenced in June to more than 15 years in prison and five years of supervised release.

  • Everette Lee Petty, 55, of Sanford, who pleaded guilty in August to possession of cocaine base. He was sentenced in September to 10 years in prison and three years of supervised release.

  • Tiyon Nathan Turner, 22, of Sanford, who pleaded guilty in August 2018 to being a felon in possession of a firearm and possession of marijuana. He was sentenced in February to more than 10 years in prison and five years of supervised release.

Each of the cases was investigated by one or more of these agencies: the Sanford Police Department, Lee County Sheriff’s Office, North Carolina State Highway Patrol, and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. The cases were prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Rob A.J. Lang, Tanner L. Kroeger, JoAnna M. McFadden, and Nicole R. DuPré of the Middle District of North Carolina.

Learn more about Project Safe Neighborhoods here.

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