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EDENTON – U.S. Attorney Michael Easley on Tuesday, along with federal and local law enforcement, provided an update regarding ongoing and coordinated efforts to address violent crime in the Albemarle Region of Northeastern North Carolina.

The Violent Crime Action Plan (VCAP) is a collaboration of the U.S. Attorney’s Office with the Edenton and Elizabeth City Police Departments, the Sheriff’s Offices in Bertie, Chowan, Perquimans, Pasquotank, Camden, Currituck, Gates, Washington and Dare counties, North Carolina Alcohol Law Enforcement, North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation, the United States Marshals Service (USMS), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the District Attorney for the region.

A primary objective of the VCAP is to investigate and prosecute individuals contributing significantly to crime in the Albemarle Region (Elizabeth City, Edenton, and surrounding areas).

Since the VCAP was launched in January, 21 individuals have been indicted. Just in the past week, law enforcement led a coordinated operation to indict and arrest 11 individuals. According to court documents, the following eight individuals were arrested on federal charges as part of the recent enforcement effort:

Robert Hall, age 42, kidnapping and possession of a firearm by a felon (Perquimans County)

Miguel Williams, age 34, possession of a firearm by a felon; possession with intent to distribute cocaine and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime (Elizabeth City)

Stanford Dantzler*, age 23, possession of a firearm by a felon (Elizabeth City)

Anthony McCoy*, age 25, possession of a firearm by a felon and possession of machine gun (Elizabeth City)

Rashawn Baum*, age 28, possession of a firearm by a felon and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl (Elizabeth City)

Tysheem Commander*, age 31, possession of a firearm by a felon (Elizabeth City)

Jamari Ishman*, age 24, possession of a firearm by a felon (Edenton)

Al Ortiz, age 48, possession with intent to distribute fentanyl (Elizabeth City)

*indicates that defendant is a member of the Blood Gang

Since the beginning of the year, a team of prosecutors, analysts, and investigators have collaborated to identify, charge, and arrest, individuals contributing to violent crime in Northeastern North Carolina leading to 21 individuals, including five who have pled guilty, facing 34 charges and 26 guns seized, including five fully automatic machine guns. In addition, over 240 grams of fentanyl have been seized – enough for 120,000 potentially deadly doses.

“In January of this year, I joined local law enforcement leaders in the Albemarle Region to discuss ways to work together to curb violent crime,” said Easley. “Since that initial launch of VCAP, we have brought charges against 21 individuals that we believe are contributing significantly to violence in the region. Those involved in violent crime should take note – our work will continue, and you will be next.”

“The gang and drug violence plaguing our communities is a problem too large for any law enforcement agency to tackle alone. These arrests are an outstanding example of what local, state, and federal partners can accomplish when we operate as a force-multiplier in the fight against violent crime,” said Robert M. DeWitt, the FBI Special Agent in Charge in North Carolina.

“These indictments are the result of tireless investigative work and are a prime example of the benefits of our partnership with the U.S. Attorney’s Office and local law enforcement,” said Interim Chief George Robinson. “The Edenton Police Department looks forward to continuing to work with our partners across the Albemarle region as we strive to improve overall quality of life and make Edenton one of the safest towns in North Carolina.”

“I want to personally thank our U.S. Attorney Michael Easley of the North Carolina Eastern District and all the local, state, and federal agencies for partnering to rid our communities of some of our most violent offenders. These efforts will provide our citizens the reassurance that we will not tolerate the senseless acts of violence that plague so many of our communities. We want everyone to have a safe place to live, work, and play,” said Elizabeth City Interim Chief of Police James E. Avens, Jr.

“Thank you to the U S Attorney’s Office for their hard work along with the many investigators and officers from these jurisdictions,” said Dare County Sheriff Doug Doughtie. “This is truly a team effort, and it takes that commitment from the judicial side as well as their law enforcement counterparts to make it work. Hopefully, this will send a strong message to those individuals who continue to commit violent crimes and to those others who think they can, that their days may be numbered until their time is up!”

An indictment is merely an accusation. The defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty.