Three men get prison time for separate drug crimes in Eastern Carolina

NEW BERN, N.C. (WITN) - Three North Carolina men have been sentenced to prison time for drug crimes committed in Eastern Carolina.

Craven County District Attorney Scott Thomas has announced that Shakeem Dolphin, 40, of Winterville, Antonio Lewis, 44, of New Bern, and Saul Hernandez, 37, of Snow Camp, were sentenced to prison. Here is how they were sentenced:

Shakeem Dolphin:

• Sentenced to between 7.5 and 10 years in prison, followed by between 7 and 18 months in prison.
• The sentencing is due to guilty pleas to trafficking in greater than 200 grams but less than 400 grams of cocaine, trafficking in greater than 14 grams but less than 28 grams of heroin, trafficking in a schedule-II controlled substance, and possession with intent to sell or deliver cocaine.

Thomas says Dolphin was also ordered to pay $6,000 in restitution to the Greenville Police Department, $1,800 in laboratory fees, and to forfeit money seized during the investigation. Investigators seized about two ounces of heroin from Dolphin as a result of controlled purchases before stopping him and seizing a kilogram of cocaine.

Antonio Lewis:

• Sentenced as a habitual felon to between 6.4 and 8.8 years in prison.
• The sentencing is due to guilty pleas to possession with the intent to sell or deliver cocaine, and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Thomas says Lewis was also ordered to pay court costs, attorney fees, a laboratory fee, and to forfeit $460.68 to the Craven County Board of Education. Lewis was charged after a traffic stop by New Bern police where Lewis did not have a valid driver’s license and had about two grams of marijuana, 25.5 grams of crack cocaine, 100 grams of cocaine, a digital scale, small clear plastic bags, and cash on him.

Saul Hernandez:

• Sentenced to between 14.6 and 18.5 years in prison.
• The sentencing is due to guilty pleas to three counts of trafficking in 400 grams or more of cocaine, trafficking in greater than 28 grams but less than 200 grams of methamphetamine, and possession of cocaine.

We’re told that Hernandez must also pay a $250,000 fine, court costs, jail fees, attorney fees, a laboratory fee, and to forfeit all weapons seized to law enforcement. The charges stem from a search warrant in Cove City where law enforcement seized about 3 kilograms of cocaine as part of a multi-jurisdictional investigation.

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