WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. (AP) — Authorities say fraternity members at North Carolina’s flagship school were part of a drug trafficking ring that funneled huge quantities of drugs into three college campuses.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Greensboro announced Thursday that 21 people have been charged in connection to the ring.
Investigators say the drug ring funneled more than a half-ton of marijuana, several hundred kilograms of cocaine and significant quantities of other drugs into UNC-Chapel Hill, Duke University and Appalachian State University.
The majority of the suspects are in their mid-twenties, and one person is local, from Kill Devil Hills. It’s unclear how many are students or were students at any of those three schools.
In an indictment returned on July 27, 2020, the grand jury charged the following defendants with conspiracy to distribute cocaine and conspiracy to distribute marijuana, according to the Department of Justice:
- Andrew Boylan Gaddy, age 24, of Carrboro, NC;
- Travis Michael Evans, age 27, of Hillsborough, NC;
- Dane Lambert Simon, age 23, of Durham, NC;
- Brianha Nicole Haskell, age 24, of Hillsborough, NC; and
- Mariela Zavala Mendoza, aka Maria Ochoa, age 25, of Turlock, CA.
In other indictments returned in July, October and December, 2020, the grand jury charged each of the following people with conspiracy to distribute cocaine:
- Zachre Chasen Abercrombie, age 27, of Charlotte, NC;
- Amber Jana Johnson, age 24, of Carrboro, NC;
- John Frederick Holloway, age 23, of Carrboro, NC;
- Devin James McDonald, age 23, of Kill Devil Hills, NC;
- Jason Blake Nitsos, age 24, of Greensboro, NC;
- Devon Anthony Pickering, age 35, of Charlotte, NC;
- Edison Torres Robles, aka Fransisco Gallego Mandez Rodriguez, age 26, of Durham, NC; and
- Jason Shuang Xu, age 23, of Apex, NC.
Seven other people were individually charged in October and December 2020 with a number of different offenses:
- Chandler David Anderson, age 27, of Wilmington, NC, faces charges of conspiracy to distribute cocaine and marijuana.
- Davis Lindsey Bayha, age 21, of Chapel Hill, NC, faces charges of conspiracy to distribute marijuana; use of a communication facility to facilitate a drug felony; and distribution of a controlled substance within 1000 feet of a public or private college or university.
- Kyle Parrish Beckner, age 22, of Boone, NC, is charged with distribution of LSD and use of a communication facility to facilitate a drug felony.
- Bernard Aleksander Bukowski, age 24, of Raleigh, NC, faces one count of conspiracy to distribute cocaine and one count of possession with intent to distribute cocaine.
- Charles Cleveau Poindexter aka Chase Poindexter, age 23, and Jackson Alexander Norris, age 22, of Chapel Hill, NC, are each charged with conspiracy to distribute cocaine; use of a communication facility to facilitate a drug felony; and distribution of a controlled substance within 1000 feet of a public or private college or university.
- Christopher Antonio Reyes, age 26, of Greensboro, NC, is charged with conspiracy to distribute 100 kilograms or more of marijuana.
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