United States Drug Enforcement Administration

CHARLOTTE, N.C. – U.S. Attorney Dena J. King announced today that Santuron Cureton, 40, of Rock Hill, South Carolina, was sentenced to 15 years in prison and four years of supervised release for illegal gun possession and drug offenses.

According to filed documents and court proceedings, between April and July 2019, Cureton met on multiple occasions with undercover law enforcement agents in Union County, during which he sold the agents narcotics and illegal firearms. For example, court records show that on June 18, 2019, Cureton met with an undercover law enforcement agent in Monroe, North Carolina. During that meeting, the agent bought from Cureton a rifle and a pistol with an obliterated serial number. On July 16, 2019, Cureton met with an undercover agent in Union County and sold the agent 30 purported Oxycodone pills, crack cocaine, and two loaded firearms, one of which had an obliterated serial number. Over the course of the investigation into Cureton, undercover agents bought from the defendant 10 illegal firearms. Cureton has prior convictions for drug and gun possession and he is prohibited from possessing firearms.

On March 4, 2021, Cureton pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, distribution and possession with intent to distribute crack cocaine, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.

Twelve additional defendants have been sentenced as a result of joint investigations carried out by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives (ATF), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Union County Sheriff’s Office, and the Monroe Police Department, into drug and gun offenders operating in and around Union County. Over the course of the investigations, law enforcement seized methamphetamine, crack cocaine, fentanyl, and 56 firearms.

The 12 defendants were previously sentenced as follows:

Princeton Patterson, 30, of Wadesboro, N.C., was sentenced to 188 months in prison and four years of supervised release for distribution and possession with intent to distribute cocaine and methamphetamine, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and possession of a firearm by a felon. Patterson has previously been convicted of assault with a deadly weapon inflicting serious injury, multiple common law robberies, and cruelty to animals. (Docket No. 3:20-cr-221).

Rico Lorodge Brown, 34, of Monroe, N.C., was sentenced to 180 months in prison and four years of supervised release, after pleading guilty to possession of a firearm by a felon.  Brown has been twice convicted of robbery with a dangerous weapon. Brown has also been convicted of common law robbery, assault inflicting serious bodily injury, and cruelty to animals. (3:20-cr-223) 

Diante Ramon Brown, 23, of Rock Hill, South Carolina, was sentenced to 123 months in prison and four years of supervised release for distribution and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and distribution and possession with intent to distribute crack cocaine. (3:20-cr-222) 

Markiel Tyson, 31, of Pageland, South Carolina, was sentenced to 120 months in prison and four years of supervised release, after pleading guilty to distribution and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.  Tyson has previously been convicted in South Carolina for distributing drugs.  (3:20-cr-221) 

Cameron Jamal McManus, 30, also of Pageland, was ordered to serve 120 months in prison followed by four years of supervised release. He pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute crack cocaine and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. McManus has previously been convicted in South Carolina for distributing drugs, unlawfully carrying a pistol, and multiple burglaries. (3:20-cr-221)

Alvin Thomas, Jr., 42, of Charlotte, was sentenced to 120 months in prison and four years of supervised release. He pleaded guilty to distribution and possession with intent to distribute crack cocaine. Thomas has previously been convicted of possession with intent to sell or deliver cocaine, selling cocaine, twice assaulting a female, and twice driving while impaired. (3:20-cr-278) 

Chareo Demarcus Johnson, 23, of Lancaster, South Carolina, was sentenced to 105 months in prison to be followed by four years of supervised release for possession of a firearm by a felon and distribution and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. Johnson has previously been convicted of firearm and drug offenses in South Carolina. (3:21-cr-66)  

Jamorris Demonte Sanders, 23, of Chester, South Carolina, was sentenced to 104 months in prison to be followed by four years of supervised release for distribution and possession with intent to distribute crack cocaine, dealing firearms without a license, and distribution and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl. Sanders has previously been convicted of firearms and drug distribution offenses in South Carolina.  (3:20-cr-218) 

Timothy Antonio Flanagan, 35, of Lancaster, South Carolina, was sentenced to 84 months in prison to be followed by four years of supervised release after pleading guilty to distribution and possession with intent to distribute crack cocaine and to conspiracy to traffic crack cocaine. Flanagan has previously been convicted in South Carolina of pointing and presenting a firearm at a person, distributing drugs, and financial identity fraud. (3:20-cr-218)  

Bridget Cherie Chambers, 33, of Monroe, was sentenced to 66 months in prison to be followed by four years of supervised release for distribution and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. Chambers has previous convictions for possession of stolen goods, drug possession, identity theft, and other fraud offenses. (3:20-cr-279)   

Elliot Carmel Fincher, 33, of Marshville, N.C., was sentenced to 48 months in prison and three years of supervised release for possession of a firearm by a felon.  During the investigation, Fincher sold five firearms on five dates to undercover law enforcement officers.  Fincher was previously convicted in Union County for second-degree murder and discharging a weapon into occupied property in Union County.  (3:20-cr-217) 

Larry Eddie Crowder Jr., 33, of Waxhaw, N.C., was sentenced to 36 months in prison to be followed by four years of supervised release for distribution and possession with intent to distribute crack cocaine. Crowder has previously been convicted of driving while impaired and twice assaulting a female. (3:20-cr-219)

In making today’s announcement, U.S. Attorney King commended the ATF, FBI, DEA, the Union County Sheriff’s Office and the Monroe Police Department for their investigative efforts.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Stephanie Spaugh and David Kelly of the U.S. Attorney’s office in Charlotte prosecuted the cases.

The DEA encourages parents, along with their children, to educate themselves about the dangers of legal and illegal drugs by visiting DEA’s interactive websites at www.JustThinkTwice.com, www.GetSmartAboutDrugs.com, www.CampusDrugPrevention.gov, and www.dea.gov . Also follow DEA Atlanta via Twitter at @DEAATLANTADiv 

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