RALEIGH – A local man with a previous federal drug conviction is again behind bars.

On Wednesday, United States Attorney Thomas G. Walker announced in federal court that United States District Judge Terrence W. Boyle sentenced Shawn Christopher Elliott of Windsor to 70 months of imprisonment followed by five years of supervised release.

Judge Boyle also sentenced Elliott to 37 months of imprisonment concurrent to the 70 month sentence for violating terms of his supervised release related to a previous federal drug conviction. Elliott pled guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine and a quantity of marijuana on Aug. 20, 2012.

Elliott was arrested in Greenville on June 20, 2011 after being found in possession of $107,378 that he brought in order to purchase one kilogram of cocaine and 100 pounds of marijuana from an undercover officer. A search of Elliott’s residence in Windsor led to the seizure of 135 grams of cocaine, digital scales and a vacuum sealer.

The Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) Operation “No Quarter” was designed to attack the infrastructure of the Mexican Drug Trafficking Organizations (DTO), including those of the Los Zetas, La Familia, Gulf and Sinaloa drug cartels, operating not only in the Eastern District of North Carolina, but throughout North Carolina, the United States and Mexico. These DTO’s are responsible for the importation of large quantities of cocaine, marijuana, heroin, and methamphetamine into the United States, as well as the related remittance of illegal drug proceeds back into Mexico.

The investigation spanned ten years and five North Carolina counties. As part of the investigation, over 100 individuals have been charged by indictment or criminal information in the Eastern District of North Carolina and state courts.

In addition, $2.2 million in U.S. currency, 127 kilograms of cocaine with a street value of $3.8 million dollars, 41 pounds of crystal methamphetamine with a street value of $650,000, 160 pounds of marijuana with a street value of $170,000, 32 grams of heroin, 35 firearms and 35 real properties valued at $1.5 million were seized by law enforcement authorities.

The federal prosecutions were handled by Special Assistant United States Attorneys Glenn Perry and Augustus Willis, IV. Perry is a prosecutor with the Pitt County District Attorney’s Office. Willis is a prosecutor with the Craven, Carteret and Pamlico Counties District Attorney’s Office.