A 27-year-old Jacksonville father is behind bars after Onslow County deputies say he exposed a 4-year-old and a 1-year-old to cocaine while he was supposed to be watching them. Brandon Hall was arrested last Friday and was being held under a $15,000 bond at the Onslow County jail, with a court appearance scheduled for Monday.
According to WCTI, Hall was arrested by the Onslow County Sheriff's Office and faces two counts of exposing a child to a controlled substance, two counts of misdemeanor child abuse, and possession of drug paraphernalia. Court records cited by the station indicate Hall allowed the two children to be exposed to cocaine, and warrants allege he used cocaine himself while he was supervising them.
Warrants further allege that Hall's conduct created a substantial risk of physical injury to the children, per the station's report. It remains unclear from available records whether either child ingested any of the drug, a detail that would carry significant weight under the felony statute Hall is charged under.
A New Felony Aimed at Drug-Endangered Kids
The exposure charges against Hall fall under North Carolina General Statute 14-318.7, a law that only took effect in December 2025 after being passed as part of Senate Bill 429. Under the statute, knowingly or recklessly exposing a child under 16 to controlled substances is a Class H felony on its own, according to the UNC School of Government. That charge escalates to a Class E felony if a child actually ingests the drug, and can reach as high as a Class B1 felony if the exposure results in a child's death.　Governor Josh Stein signed the underlying legislation in July 2025, with lawmakers aiming to sharpen legal accountability for adults who put children in drug-related danger, as detailed by the Wake Forest Law Review.
Hall's misdemeanor child abuse charges, meanwhile, are separately governed by G.S. 14-318.2, which applies when a parent or supervisor creates or allows a substantial risk of physical injury to a child under 16 through non-accidental means. The Beaver Courie Law Firm notes that offense is classified as a Class A1 misdemeanor, the highest severity tier for misdemeanors in North Carolina, carrying penalties of up to 150 days in jail even for defendants with no prior record.
A Broader Pattern in Households Statewide
The Wake Forest Law Review analysis cited in the debate over the new statute noted that data from 2015 to 2019 found more than 55,000 children in North Carolina were living with a parent who had a substance use disorder. That statistic was part of the legal backdrop lawmakers pointed to when crafting the 2025 child-exposure legislation.
State law also triggers a parallel process outside the courtroom. Under North Carolina General Statute Chapter 7B, the Onslow County Department of Social Services' Child Protective Services unit is required to conduct an investigative assessment alongside law enforcement whenever severe child abuse or environmental drug risks are reported. Onslow County government records indicate CPS social workers typically complete safety assessments within 30 days to determine whether protective placement is necessary, though it has not been confirmed whether DSS has taken temporary custody of Hall's two children.
Case Adds to String of Local Child Endangerment Arrests
Hall was booked at the Onslow County Detention Center, which sits alongside the Sheriff's Office at 717 Court Street in Jacksonville and serves as the county's central booking and magistrate court facility. The Onslow County Sheriff's Office, led by Sheriff Christopher D. Thomas since 2022, has handled a string of child endangerment cases in Jacksonville in recent months.
Just two months ago, Hoodline reported that a 32-year-old father was arrested on Wilmington Highway for driving while impaired with a 10-year-old child in the vehicle, also booked into the same detention center on secured bond. Days before that, two adults were arrested after a young child found and discharged a loaded pistol inside a Jacksonville residence. Further back, in November 2024, a Jacksonville man received a 9-year federal prison sentence for drug trafficking after being caught with a loaded firearm in the presence of his 2-month-old infant.
North Carolina law also places a duty on ordinary residents in these situations. Under General Statute 14-318.6, any adult who knows or reasonably should know that a child is a victim of misdemeanor child abuse is legally required to immediately report it to local law enforcement, according to FindLaw. Such reports can be made orally or by phone to the sheriff's office in the county where the child is found.
Hall's initial court appearance was scheduled for Monday, though the outcome of that hearing has not yet been reported. It also remains unknown whether the children ingested any cocaine, a detail that could affect the severity of the felony charges Hall ultimately faces.
