Elizabeth City local, Karem Felton, 31, has been sentenced to twelve years in prison on charges related to fentanyl distribution and firearm offenses. This sentencing follows a May 19, 2023, incident, where officials from the Pasquotank County Sheriff's Office raided Felton's home after a shots-fired report the previous day.
During their investigation, officers retrieved multiple firearms and a substantial amount of cash, uncovering a reality of violent drug trafficking that plagues many communities. "Disrupting drug trafficking in our communities is a critical part of our mission. The FBI and our local partners are working very hard to take dangerous drugs off of our streets, along with the people who peddle them. This case is another great example of law enforcement working together to make our communities safer," stated Robert M. DeWitt, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in North Carolina, as reported by the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
Pasquotank County Sheriff Tommy Wooten praised the collaboration between multiple agencies in this case. "I want to thank my Deputies at the Pasquotank County Sheriff’s Office, Elizabeth City Police Department, Federal Bureau of Investigations and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the great work that has been done to combat the drug and violent crime issues we face on a daily basis," Wooten told the U.S. Attorney's Office.
Felton was linked to an earlier shooting incident on May 18, where Elizabeth City Police officers found .300 caliber rifle shell casings and identified Felton through surveillance footage firing at a vehicle from a BMW he was previously seen driving. The subsequent search of Felton's residence uncovered multiple firearms, including a 7.62 x 39mm pistol and a .300 Blackout pistol, as well as fentanyl, cocaine, and a combined $12,158 in cash hidden in various locations throughout the house, per details outlined by the U.S. Attorney's Office.
United States District Court Judge Louis W. Flanagan presided over the sentencing. The case was investigated by the Elizabeth City Police Department, the Pasquotank County Sheriff's Office, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, while Assistant U.S. Attorneys Julie A. Childress and Katherine S. Englander prosecuted the case.
