United States Drug Enforcement Administration

NEW BERN, N.C. – A federal judge sentenced Alberto Alegria, 28, of Lumberton, to 12 and a half years in federal prison for selling cocaine and heroin throughout Eastern North Carolina. On June 16, 2026, Alegria pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute over 11 pounds of cocaine and over two pounds of heroin, possession with intent to distribute more than one pound of cocaine and over two pounds of heroin, and conspiracy to commit money laundering.

“This case demonstrates the impact of strong collaboration among federal, state, and local law enforcement,” said Michael J. Connolly, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Field Division. “By working together through the Homeland Security Task Force, we are disrupting drug trafficking operations, bringing offenders to justice, and making our communities safer.”

In 2022, investigators suspected that Alegria was a major drug trafficker in Robeson County. By August 2023, they began making controlled buys of cocaine and heroin from him. During this same period, investigators documented Alegria receiving large shipments of cocaine and selling the drugs out of his store, Tienda Mexicana La Hacienda. He used the store as a sham front to distribute narcotics and move his drug proceeds. They also found that he used wire transfers from the store to send thousands of dollars in drug profits back to a cartel in Mexico.

By conducting undercover buys, executing search warrants, and making a traffic stop, law enforcement seized more than 14 pounds of cocaine and over 5 pounds of heroin from Alegria’s criminal enterprise.

“We will not tolerate anyone who threatens the safety and well‑being of our communities by flooding them with deadly drugs. Thanks to the outstanding work of our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners, this criminal will spend a long time in a cold, concrete box,” said Ellis Boyle, U.S. Attorney. “Law enforcement and federal prosecutors, collaborated to dismantle this large-scale criminal enterprise making Robeson County safer for the families who live and work there.”

“Drug trafficking networks operate with zero regard for public safety and is a significant driver of violence in our communities,” said ATF Special Agent in Charge Alicia Jones. “ATF and our law enforcement partners will aggressively pursue those involved in bringing illegal drugs and firearms into our communities and dismantle the networks that support their crimes 

“Illegal drug eradication is one of the main functions of the State Bureau of Investigation, and this case in Robeson County is the result of great teamwork. I am grateful to the agents who built this case and to all the agencies who worked diligently to bring this case to resolution.  I am committed to working with our local, state, and federal partners to disrupt the drug trade in North Carolina,” said SBI Director Chip Hawley.

"This sentencing sends an unmistakable message that those who traffic poison across our community and surrounding counties will be held fully accountable. Illegal narcotics distribution fuels violence and tears at the fabric of our neighborhoods. Removing a prolific, high-level offender from our streets makes Fayetteville and our region measurably safer. This result demonstrates the strength of seamless law enforcement integration; our partnership with local, state, and federal entities was essential to dismantling this operation and delivering the justice our community deserves. The Fayetteville Police Department is grateful to the U.S. Attorney’s Office and our interagency partners for their dedication to prosecuting prolific offenders and protecting our residents from the devastating impact of illegal drugs."

“Today's sentencing highlights the essential role financial investigators play in dismantling complex drug trafficking networks,” said Special Agent in Charge Donald “Trey” Eakins, IRS Criminal Investigation’s Charlotte Field Office. “By following the money, our special agents uncovered how the defendant used his business to disguise and send illicit proceeds. These financial transactions were not simple bookkeeping irregularities; they were part of a drug trafficking organization operating in Eastern North Carolina. We will continue to work alongside our federal, state, and local partners to ensure those who profit from distributing dangerous narcotics are held accountable.”

This prosecution is part of Operation Flip Switch, a component of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) established under Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole‑of‑government initiative committed to dismantling criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking networks operating in the United States and abroad. Through unprecedented interagency coordination, HSTF directs federal law enforcement resources to investigate and prosecute the broad spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations. The HSTF places a particular emphasis on targeting offenders involved in crimes against children and uses all available legal authorities to identify, prosecute, and remove violent criminal aliens from the United States.

Ellis Boyle, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, made the announcement following sentencing by U.S. District Judge Louise W. Flanagan. The IRS, DEA, SBI, Robeson County Sheriff’s Office, Hoke County Sheriff’s Office, Lumberton Police Department, and the Fayetteville Police Department investigated the case.