NEW BERN, N.C. – A federal jury convicted a Red Springs man yesterday on multiple charges of cocaine and crack distribution, possession of firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking crimes, and being a felon in possession of firearms.
According to court records and evidence presented at trial, Jamie Christopher Henderson, 47, was under investigation by the Robeson County Sheriff’s Office after they received a report of a shooting at the Thunder Valley Racetrack in Robeson County. Henderson had shot two people at the racetrack. Henderson then traveled to a nearby gas station and asked for a ride from a local citizen. The citizen obliged but refused to turn down a dirt road. Henderson pulled out a handgun, shot the driver’s radio, and fled.
Detectives determined where Henderson was living at the time and obtained a search warrant for the house. As detectives arrived to execute the warrant, three detectives observed Henderson in the front yard as he threw a black handgun underneath a parked car. Baggies of cocaine and crack were also recovered next to the handgun. Detectives continued to execute the search warrant and recovered two more handguns (both stolen) in the house, an AR-15 style rifle, and more crack and cocaine along with drug distribution materials. All of the weapons seized were loaded.
Additional evidence revealed videos of Henderson at the house in the days leading up to execution of the search warrant. In these videos, Henderson conducted drug deals at the house on seven different occasions, most often while armed with a handgun. The videos also showed Henderson possessing multiple handguns, sometimes two at one time, and pointing a loaded AR-15 style rifle at vehicles in the roadway that were approaching the house at night.
In 2005, Henderson was convicted of being a felon in possession of a firearm in the Eastern District of North Carolina.
Henderson faces a mandatory sentence of 10 years up to life imprisonment. If he is determined to be an Armed Career Criminal, then he faces a mandatory sentence of 25 years up to life imprisonment.
Michael Easley, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Louise W. Flanagan accepted the verdict. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Robeson County Sherriff’s Office are investigating the case and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Tyler Lemons and Assistant U.S. Attorney Katherine Schuh are prosecuting the case.
Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No.7:20-cr-00088-FL-1.