RALEIGH — Two brothers have been sentenced to life in prison for running a drug trafficking organization out of the Godwin area of Cumberland County. Their father was also linked to the ring and will also serve time.
Antoine Dewayne “Twan” Myles, 42, of Dunn, Lemont Jerrone Webb, 44, of Godwin, and Harry Myles Sr., 63, also of Dunn, were sentenced by United States District Judge Terrance W. Boyle, according to a press release from Robert J. Higdon Jr., who serves as United States Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina.
Antoine Myles and Webb were each sentenced to life imprisonment followed by 5 years and 10 years of supervised release, respectively. Harry Myles Sr. was sentenced to 64 months imprisonment followed by three years of supervised release.
Webb and Harry Myles Sr. were convicted in January 2018 following a four-day trial. Antoine Myles’ conviction came in March 2018 after a three-day trial.
Webb was convicted of drug conspiracy, money laundering conspiracy, possession with intent to distribute cocaine base (crack), and several money laundering offenses. Harry Myles Sr. was found guilty of money laundering offenses.
Antoine Myles was convicted of conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute 5 kilograms or more of cocaine and 280 grams or more of cocaine base (crack), possession with intent to distribute cocaine and cocaine base (crack) and money laundering conspiracy.
The evidence at trial showed that from 2011 until their arrest on June 5, 2015, Antoine Myles and his brother Webb, were leaders in a drug trafficking organization (DTO) responsible for the distribution of kilogram quantities of crack cocaine in Godwin, N.C. The evidence showed that Antoine Myles and Webb hired other people to work shifts selling crack cocaine from a trailer in Godwin, 24 hours a day, 7 days per week.
In October 2014, the Cumberland County Sheriff’s Office obtained an injunction against the trailer used to distribute the crack cocaine, but Myles and Webb continued their operation, selling crack cocaine from a Winnebago across the street from the original trailer.
The evidence at trial established that Harry Myles Sr., the father of Webb and Antoine Myles, played an integral role in the operation of the DTO by allowing multiple properties used to store and distribute crack cocaine, to be placed in his name in order to conceal the true source of the illegal funds used to purchase the properties, and to frustrate law enforcement’s efforts to seize the properties.
Additionally, the trial evidence established that Harry Myles Sr. and Webb purchased tow trucks and started a towing business utilized to launder illegal drug proceeds. Antoine Myles and Webb both purchased multiple vehicles with illegal drug proceeds and titled the vehicles in the names of other persons to frustrate any efforts by law enforcement to seize and forfeit the vehicles.
At sentencing, Webb was found responsible for the distribution of over 125 kilograms of cocaine base (crack) over the life of the drug conspiracy and Antoine Myles was found responsible for the distribution of over 40 kilograms of cocaine base (crack) during his involvement in the drug conspiracy. Harry Myles Sr. was found to have been involved in the laundering of over $175,000 in illegal drug proceeds.
Additionally, 15 other defendants have been convicted of various drug and money laundering charges arising from this investigation.
“Antoine Myles, his father Harry Myles and Lemont Webb have finally been brought to justice. For years they have victimized the small community of Godwin and turned it into a virtual open-air drug market,” Higdon said in a prepared statement. “Collectively they distributed nearly 300 pounds of cocaine. As law enforcement tried to stop them, they thumbed their noses, adjusted their operation and carried on. Today, that stops! The sentences handed down in these cases are clear warnings to drug traffickers that we are taking back North Carolina from the drug dealers and violent criminals. And removing these defendants from Godwin, North Carolina is a great start.”
Cumberland County District Attorney Billy West thanked the Cumberland County Sheriff’s Office and federal partners for dismantling the organization that was “a blight on our community.”
The investigation of the case was conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Cumberland County Sheriff’s Office, the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) and the U.S. Marshal’s Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lawrence Cameron represented the government in the cases.
“Today, justice is served and not only are criminals going to jail for their crimes, but the government has seized a significant portion of the illegal proceeds through asset forfeiture,” said Matthew D. Line, special agent in charge for the IRS-CI’s Charlotte field office. “The role of IRS-CI in narcotics investigations is to follow the money so we can financially disrupt and dismantle major drug trafficking organizations. One of the government’s most powerful weapons is the ability to seize through asset forfeiture the assets associated with narcotics-related crime.”