Maple Hill man sentenced to 10 years in federal prison for drug distribution (DOJ)

WILMINGTON, N.C. - A federal judge sentenced Eugene James, 48, to 10 years in federal prison. On January 29, 2026, James pleaded guilty to distribution of 5 grams or more of meth and fentanyl.

"We will continue to focus on individuals who sell drugs that poison our community," said U.S. Attorney Ellis Boyle. "He is old enough to know better already, but he has 10 years to think about being a productive member of society when he gets out of prison."

In 2024, federal and local authorities investigated a drug trafficking organization operating in the Eastern District of North Carolina. The group, which included James, distributed meth, cocaine, crack, and fentanyl across the counties of Pender, Onslow, and New Hanover. Between February and April 2024, the ATF, New Hanover Sheriff's Office, Wilmington and Jacksonville Police Departments purchased fentanyl and meth from James using investigative methods at a home in Maple Hill. On May 6, 2025, federal and county authorities arrested Eugene at a home in Onslow County, where they found a small amount of narcotics and several firearms.

James has several prior convictions for assault with a deadly weapon inflicting serious injury, discharging a firearm into occupied property, and conspiring to distribute and possess crack cocaine with intent to distribute, as well as possessing a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking.

"This investigation is a testament to the dedication and commitment of law enforcement to ensuring the safety of our communities by removing dangerous narcotics from our streets and the offenders who bring them into our communities. It also highlights effectiveness of cooperation between Federal, State and Local partners," said Jacksonville Police Department Chief, Ashley Weaver.

This prosecution is part of Operation Counterpunch which is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF Wilmington comprises agents and officers from HSI, FBI, DEA, NCIS, US Coast Guard, New Hanover County Sheriff's Office, Craven County Sheriff's Office, Sampson County Sheriff's Office, Brunswick County Sheriff's Office, Dare County Sheriff's Office, Currituck County Sheriff's Office, Wilmington Police Department, State Bureau of Investigations, and NC Department of Public Safety with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of N.C.

Ellis Boyle, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after sentencing by Chief U.S. District Judge Richard E. Myers II. The ATF, DEA, New Hanover County Sheriff's Office, Pender County Sheriff's Office, Wilmington Police Department, and Jacksonville Police Department investigated the case.

A copy of this press release is located on our website. Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North CarolinaLinks to other government and non-government sites will typically appear with the "external link" icon to indicate that you are leaving the Department of Justice website when you click the link. or on PACERLinks to other government and non-government sites will typically appear with the "external link" icon to indicate that you are leaving the Department of Justice website when you click the link. by searching for Case No. 7:25-CR-00035-M-RN.