A Harnett County defense attorney, Jeffrey Stall, has been sentenced in federal court following his guilty plea to a felony drug offense. Stall, aged 45, received a sentence of two years of house arrest and five years of supervised release.
Stall’s involvement came to light during a federal wiretap investigation targeting a group distributing methamphetamine, fentanyl, cocaine, and marijuana across Sampson, Johnston, and Harnett counties. Intercepted conversations revealed that Stall had arranged to meet with another individual to receive drugs.
Two days after the intercepted communication, law enforcement observed Stall visiting a known drug trafficking location briefly before leaving. A North Carolina State Trooper stopped him shortly afterward. During the stop, the trooper noted signs of intoxication in Stall and found an empty gun holster on the seat. A canine unit alerted officers to the presence of drugs in the vehicle. When questioned about illegal items in his car, Stall responded ambiguously with “There shouldn’t be” and “Not that I am aware of.”
A search of Stall’s vehicle uncovered a backpack containing 33.65 grams of pure methamphetamine and a loaded .40 caliber handgun.
Further investigation led to interviews with several individuals involved in drug trafficking who disclosed that they had supplied Stall with methamphetamine over extended periods. These individuals often had legal representation from Stall before their relationship evolved into one involving drugs.
The announcement was made by Daniel P. Bubar, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina after sentencing by Chief U.S. District Judge Richard E. Myers II. The case was investigated by multiple agencies including the DEA, ATF, U.S. Marshals Service, NC National Guard, NC State Bureau of Investigation along with local sheriff’s offices and police departments from Sampson County, Harnett County, Johnston County, and Dunn City. Assistant U.S. Attorney Tyler Lemons prosecuted the case.
