A Charlotte man has received a five-year federal prison sentence for cocaine trafficking and firearms offenses. Cleveland Pegues, 40, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Kenneth D. Bell following an investigation led by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department (CMPD), as reported by the U.S. Attorney's Office. Post-release, Pegues will be on a three-year supervised release.
Details shared by authorities indicate a series of events that began on March 15, 2023, when CMPD officers attempted to pull Pegues’s vehicle over for a traffic infraction. Pegues initially stopped but then sped away, during which officers saw a bag tossed from the vehicle. It was later recovered and found to contain marijuana and cocaine. A subsequent search along the escape route turned up a stolen, loaded firearm. Pegues was later identified as the driver.
On March 29 of the same year, Pegues was observed by officers as he prepared to enter a truck while carrying bags. Attempting to evade police once more, Pegues fled on foot but was apprehended. Inside his satchel, the authorities found a loaded .40 caliber pistol and additional firearm elements alongside various drugs ready for distribution. Following a search warrant at Pegues's apartment, officers seized cash, ammo, drug paraphernalia, and a money counter. The items contributed to his guilty plea on August 29, 2024, for possession with intent to distribute cocaine and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
Acting U.S. Attorney Cameron recognized the joint effort in the investigation, stating, "Today’s sentencing demonstrates the commitment of our law enforcement partners to rid our communities of drug traffickers and armed criminals." Assistant U.S. Attorney Nick J. Miller processed the case against Pegues, who will now await assignment to a federal prison facility by the Bureau of Prisons, as detailed by the U.S. Attorney's Office.
