A federal jury in Raleigh has found Homer Allen Faison, III, a resident of Sampson County, guilty on twelve counts related to conspiracy and distribution of methamphetamine. The conviction follows an investigation into a drug trafficking organization led by Faison that brought large quantities of methamphetamine from California into Eastern North Carolina.
U.S. Attorney Ellis Boyle commented on the outcome, stating, “This verdict sends a strong message: if you flood our communities with deadly drugs, we will come after you. This defendant chose to run a major cross country methamphetamine operation, and now he will face the consequences. Our office will continue to protect the people of North Carolina with unwavering resolve.”
ATF Special Agent in Charge Alicia Jones said, “Through a collaborative effort, ATF and our law enforcement partners disrupted a dangerous drug dealing network that stretched from coast to coast. Bringing an end to this criminal operation will have a major impact on bettering public safety in our community.”
Sampson County Sheriff Jimmy Thornton added, “I am truly grateful for the cooperation between my office, our federal partners, and the United States Attorney’s Office. These partnerships have allowed us to stop the flow of drugs before they even get to Sampson County preventing overdoses and other catastrophic effects.”
According to evidence presented at trial and court records, Faison organized trips to California where he obtained pounds of pure methamphetamine. He then arranged for shipments back to Sampson County and oversaw their sale at various locations in Clinton. The investigation documented frequent large-scale deliveries and ongoing sales from 2020 until his arrest in May 2023.
Faison is scheduled for sentencing in February 2026 and faces a mandatory minimum sentence of ten years up to life imprisonment.
The prosecution was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Caroline Webb and Charles Loeser. The multi-year investigation involved several agencies including the Sampson County Sheriff’s Office, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), Clinton Police Department, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Internal Revenue Service (IRS), North Carolina State Bureau of Investigations (NCSBI), as well as Assistant U.S. Attorney Tyler Lemons and former Assistant U.S. Attorney Brad Knott.
This case falls under Operation Take Back America—a national initiative using resources from the Department of Justice’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) aimed at combating violent crime through coordinated efforts.
