Charlotte, N.C. – Benjamin James Hemphill, 24, has been sentenced to 60 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release for possession of a firearm in connection with a drug trafficking crime. The U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina, Dena J. King, announced the sentencing.

According to court documents, on August 4, 2021, Hemphill was arrested by CMPD officers after fleeing the scene of a car accident. Upon searching his vehicle, officers recovered two firearms, over 3,500 pressed oxycodone pills containing fentanyl, MDMA pills, and quantities of cocaine, cocaine base, and marijuana. Following his arrest, Hemphill was taken into federal custody and will be transferred to the federal Bureau of Prisons.

U.S. Attorney King thanked the DEA and CMPD for their work on the case. The prosecution was handled by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney William Wiseman, who was assigned by District Attorney Spencer Merriweather to serve as a SAUSA with the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program aimed at reducing violent crime and gun violence.

In conclusion, Hemphill, 24, of Charlotte, has been sentenced to 60 months in prison for possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. He was arrested with over 3,500 pressed oxycodone pills containing fentanyl, MDMA pills, and quantities of cocaine, cocaine base, and marijuana. The case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence.