A 29-year-old Sampson County man was sentenced to 190 months in prison Friday by U.S. Attorney Michael F. Easley Jr., a sentence that comes on the heels of the Godwin man’s involvement in the trafficking of methamphetamine and fentanyl after fleeing from law enforcement on four different occasions.
Seth Allen Hall pleaded guilty earlier this year, on Aug. 16, to conspiracy to distribute and possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of a substance containing methamphetamine, and a quantity of fentanyl; possession with intent to distribute five grams or more of meth and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
Easley announced the sentencing late Friday afternoon.
“This defendant led three different sheriff’s offices on reckless chases that put innocent drivers at risk,” Easley, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of N.C., said in a press release. “We won’t stand for drug traffickers who consistently put our law enforcement officers in danger.
Hall’s sentence, noted Cardell T. Morant, Special Agent in Charge, who leads Homeland Security Investigations Charlotte, covering North and South Carolina, reflects “the destructive impact on the community caused by this defendant. HSI is committed to holding those accountable who distribute their poison into our communities.”
According to court documents and other information presented in federal court, Hall had been supplying kilogram quantities of meth and fentanyl for several years. In December 2022, Hall fled from law enforcement at speeds exceeding 130 mph before crashing and being apprehended by the Harnett County Sheriff’s Office. Following the crash, officers seized meth and fentanyl from the suspect.
In June 2023, court records show, Harnett deputies approached a parked vehicle that Hall was a passenger in, and attempted to remove him from the car, but he climbed into the driver’s seat and fled down the highway.
On July 14, 2023, Sampson County Sheriff’s officers observed Hall driving a vehicle and pulling a trailer, which was fishtailing on the highway. The deputy attempted to stop Hall, but he fled in the vehicle, and later on foot, after jackknifing the vehicle in the middle of the road. Law enforcement located a handgun on the ground near where Hall was ultimately arrested. Inside his vehicle, court records noted, deputies located digital scales, syringes, drug paraphernalia and meth.
“The Sampson County Sheriff’s Office remains committed to eradicating drugs in our community,” said Sheriff Jimmy Thornton after hearing about the sentencing. “We are proud of our continued relationship with our federal partners. These partnerships have proven to be a valuable asset in investigations and justice.”
Roughly 15 days after the Sampson incident in 2023, Onslow County Sheriff’s officers attempted to make a traffic stop on a vehicle driven by Hall. He refused to comply and drove over 130 mph before striking two other vehicles, jumping the curb, crashing and running away. He was quickly apprehended. A search of Hall and his vehicle turned up cash, over 500 grams of meth, 22 grams of fentanyl and xylazine, cocaine and multiple cell phones.
Hall has prior felony convictions for possession of heroin in 2019 and 2020, as well as attempted trafficking by transportation and attempted trafficking by possession in 2019.
Sheriff’s officers from Sampson, Harnett and Onslow, along with the Homeland Security Investigations and the ATF, investigated the case; Assistant U.S. Attorney Casey Peaden prosecuted the case and U.S. District Judge Terrence W. Boyle handed down the sentence.
General manager Sherry Matthews contributed to this article.
