Three Halifax County men have October 5 arraignments set in Raleigh after they were indicted in a drug conspiracy by a federal grand jury.
In count one of the indictment the grand jury charges that from December of 2015 to September 23 of last year Shermarquette Whitaker, Mark Vincent Dean and Jacobi Harvey conspired and had a tacit understanding to possess and distribute cocaine.
The indictment says Whitaker is reportedly linked to 5 kilograms he intended to distribute while Dean intended to distribute 500 grams and Harvey what is described in the charges as a quantity of cocaine.
Count two charges that on July 21, 2016, Whitaker had in his possession a firearm although he had previously been convicted of a crime punishable by more than a year in prison.
In count three Dean is charged with aiding and abetting to distribute a quantity of cocaine.
Count four charges that on September 23 of last year Whitaker and Dean aided and abetted one another to possess and distribute 500 or more grams of cocaine.
In the forfeiture notice contained in the indictment the government seeks at least $680,000 from Whitaker, which the document says represents gross proceeds.
At least $4,900 is sought from Dean.
The government also seeks $35,990 in currency seized from Thacker Lane in Gaston on July 21, 2016.
The following weapons are also sought:
An AR-15 seized from Thacker Lane in July of 2016
A Mossberg shotgun seized on July 21 from Waters Edge Drive in Littleton in July of 2016
A Taurus .38-caliber pistol in July of 2016 from a vehicle registered to Harvey and another person not named in the indictment
Of the three indicted, only Harvey was allowed pretrial release.
In Dean’s case, United States Magistrate Judge Robert B. Jones Jr. found there is a serious risk the defendant will endanger the safety of another person or the community.
Reasons for detention included the nature of the charges; the apparent strength of the government’s case; the defendant’s criminal history; and the history of probation revocations.
In Whitaker’s case Jones checked a box which says, “Based on the defendant’s waiver of (defendant’s) right to a detention hearing, there is no condition or combination of conditions that can be imposed which would reasonably assure the defendant’s appearance (and) the safety of another person or the community.”
