Since November of 2018, there has been an ongoing investigation into drug activities within fraternities on the campuses of University of North Carolina Chapel Hill, Appalachian State University, and Duke University. 21 people, including alumni of the colleges, were indicted last week on charges ranging from conspiracy to distribute cocaine and conspiracy to distribute marijuana, to use of a communication facility to facilitate a drug felony, and distribution of a controlled substance within 1,000 feet of a public or private college or university. Law enforcement seized almost 150 pounds of marijuana, 442 grams of cocaine, 189 Xanax pills, steroids, HGH, and about $27,775.00 in U.S. Currency.

One individual, Francisco Javier Ochoa, Jr., plead guilty to conspiracy to distribute 5 kilograms or more of cocaine and conspiracy to distribute 100 kilograms or more of marijuana on November 24, 2020. As a result, he was sentenced to 73 months in prison, five years of supervised probation, and he was ordered to pay the court $250,000.00. The investigation discovered that Ochoa provided cocaine to the fraternities from California via the U.S. Postal Service, and marijuana was transported by car.

As a result of these charges, the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill has suspended 3 fraternities – Phi Gamma Delta, Kappa Sigma, and Beta Theta Pi, due to their involvement in the purchase and distribution of large amounts of illegal drugs.

Although marijuana is legal in some states, it is not yet legal here in North Carolina, for neither medical nor recreational use.

We hope it will not become necessary, but if you or a loved one find yourself in need of an attorney for a serious personal injury or wrongful death matter, or you get into trouble with a criminal matter, or receive a traffic ticket, please give our office a call for a confidential consultation. We handle matters in New Hanover, Pender, and Brunswick Counties. We also handle wills, caveats, and estate litigations with our of counsel attorney, Mitch Baker.

By Karen M. Thompson, Paralegal

Even though the 2020 holiday season is in full swing, it certainly has a different feel to it this year. As a result of COVID-19, there has been a worldwide shift in how people are celebrating. Less people are expected to travel, and when they do, the typical holiday parties and gatherings are being adjusted or rescheduled to accommodate guidelines by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). According to Forbes, Christmas travel in the United States is being anticipated to drop quite a bit from 2019. 61% less people were screened by Transportation Security Administration (TSA) this year on the Sunday after Thanksgiving, than on the same day in 2019.

With respect to how to safely gather for the holidays with your family, the CDC recommends that the safest bet is staying home, of course. However, if you will be gathering with family, the CDC recommends that you try to gather outdoors if possible, and try to keep at least 6 feet apart between people who do not share the same household. Rather than having a buffet style meal where everyone gathers around the food at once, another option could be to prepare plates ahead of time with disposable utensils, so that guests can get their food one by one and go back to their seats.

Law enforcement has their work cut out for them for this holiday season. Not only do they normally have to work tirelessly through the holidays to keep us safe, but this year is exceptionally tough due to COVID-19 and the restrictions imposed on us, and the lack of guidelines regarding the enforcement of same.

We hope it will not become necessary, but if you or a loved one find yourself in need of an attorney for a serious personal injury or wrongful death matter, or you get into trouble with a criminal matter, or receive a traffic ticket, please give our office a call for a confidential consultation. We handle matters in New Hanover, Pender, and Brunswick Counties. If you have court in Brunswick County, the Courthouse is located in Bolivia, North Carolina, and includes Sunset Beach, Holden Beach, and Ocean Isle Beach. If you receive a ticket in Topsail Beach or Surf City, you will need to go to the Pender County Courthouse, which is located in Burgaw, North Carolina. If you get a ticket in Wrightsville Beach, Wilmington Beach, Carolina Beach, or Kure Beach, you will have court in New Hanover County, which is located in downtown Wilmington, North Carolina. We also handle wills, caveats, and estate litigations with our of counsel attorney, Mitch Baker.

By Karen M. Thompson, Paralegal

Governor Roy Cooper announced this Wednesday that North Carolina will remain in Phase 3 of reopening for another 3 weeks, due to the increased number of COVID-19 cases in our State.

Starting this Friday, December 11, 2020, Executive Order 181 will require people to stay at home between the hours of 10:00 p.m. and 5:00 a.m. Sales of alcohol on-site at restaurants and bars will stop at 9:00 p.m., and the restaurants and bars must close by 10:00 p.m. This modification of the stay-at-home order is to try to prevent people from gathering in bars and restaurants unnecessarily.

Phase 3 began on October 2, 2020, putting limits on times that alcohol can be purchased, and limits on how many people can be gathered together at one time indoors.

New Hanover County was one of 36 counties that received a letter from the North Carolina health department, urging everyone to follow guidelines extra cautiously, due 300 or more spikes in cases over the past 14 days in these 36 counties.

In addition, the Chief Justice intends to issue an emergency directive postponing non-essential, in-person court proceedings for 30 days, beginning Monday, December 14, 2020.

In more positive news, there are 11 hospitals and healthcare facilities in North Carolina that will receive the first doses of a COVID-19 vaccine hopefully by mid-December, if one is approved. The initial supply of vaccines is intended to go to these healthcare facilities to vaccinate nurses and other health care workers who are at high risk of exposure to COVID-19.

State and public health officials will continue to keep an eye on COVID-19 trends over the next several weeks to discuss if additional restrictions need to be put in place.

As Christmas 2020 approaches, we hope it will not become necessary, but if you or a loved one find yourself in need of an attorney for a serious personal injury, or you get into trouble with a criminal matter, or receive a traffic ticket, please give our office a call for a confidential consultation. We handle matters in New Hanover, Pender, and Brunswick Counties. If you have court in Brunswick County, the Courthouse is located in Bolivia, North Carolina. The New Hanover County Courthouse is located in Wilmington, and the Pender County Courthouse is located in Burgaw, North Carolina. We also handle wills and estates with our of counsel attorney, Mitch Baker. 

By Karen M. Thompson, Paralegal