Cartel Partner Gets 30 Year Federal Sentence for Guns and Meth

NEW BERN, N.C. - A federal judge sentenced, Fernando Chaidez, 46, was sentenced to 30 years in federal prison. On April 1, 2026, a federal jury convicted Chaidez of conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute more than 500 grams of meth, possession with intent to distribute more than 500 grams of meth, possession of a firearm by a felon, and possession of a firearm used to help selling drugs.

On November 8, 2023, Customs and Border Enforcement intercepted a package coming from Guerrero, Mexico to Duplin County, North Carolina. The package contained flip-flops with approximately 2.2 pounds of meth hidden inside the lining. A week later, the Duplin County Sheriff's Office, HSI, and NCSBI carried out a controlled delivery of the package at the home of Stephen Darden in Duplin County. Darden accepted the package and they arrested him. Shortly after that, Chaidez arrived at Darden's home, picked up the package, and they arrested him too. When they searched Chaidez's car, they found meth and a garage door opener for his home in Wayne County. The Wayne County Sheriff's Department, along with HSI, executed a search warrant where they found several cut open flip-flops that appeared to have previously contained drugs. They also found several firearms, including an AR-15, a 5.7 semi-automatic handgun, and a large 5.7-caliber drum magazine.

"Cartels spread evil from south of the border and destroy our communities in Eastern North Carolina. Drug thugs like this Big Shark Bad Boy pose a serious threat to public safety," said U.S. Attorney Ellis Boyle. "We will continue partnering with our local, state, and federal teams to shut down these operations, clean these villains off our streets, and protect our citizens. If you sell drugs, we will find you, prosecute you, and throw you in prison for a long time."

Chaidez had a page full of prior convictions for manufacturing and selling meth dating as far back as 2010. Chaidez spent time in prison until his release in 2022, but he went right back to selling drugs by distributing more than 154 pounds of meth from 2022 until the time of his federal arrest in 2023. Darden eventually received a sentence of three years and four months for his involvement.

"The successful prosecution of Fernando Chaidez removes a significant quantity of methamphetamine and multiple firearms from our streets," said Mark M. Zito, special agent in charge of HSI Carolinas. "This investigation highlights the grave dangers posed by the illicit drug trade and the tenacity of our agents to hold offenders accountable. This sentence sends a clear message that Homeland Security Investigations will continue to relentlessly pursue those who attempt to profit from the distribution of poison in our neighborhoods."

"This is the result of hard work and strong partnerships between every agency involved in this investigation. When we work together, we send a clear message that crime won't be tolerated in our communities. I'm grateful to everyone who worked on this case, and we'll continue working every day to keep Wayne County safe," said Wayne County Sheriff Larry Pierce

"This case is a great example of why strategic partnerships are so effective. HSI Wilmington brought federal resources, our SBI Coastal District agents brought the local knowledge, and the Duplin and Wayne County Sheriff's Offices were partners from day one. Four agencies, one case, one Cartel trafficker who was moving meth through eastern North Carolina and is now going to prison for 30 years. This is what great partnerships and outstanding teamwork does," said SBI Director Chip Hawley.

This prosecution is part of Operation Tsunami Rising which is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States.

Ellis Boyle, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Louise W. Flanagan. HSI, Custom and Border Patrol Enforcement, FBI, Duplin County Sheriff's Office, Wayne County Sheriff's Office, and NCSBI investigated the case.

A copy of this press release is located on our website. Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North CarolinaLinks to other government and non-government sites will typically appear with the "external link" icon to indicate that you are leaving the Department of Justice website when you click the link. or on PACERLinks to other government and non-government sites will typically appear with the "external link" icon to indicate that you are leaving the Department of Justice website when you click the link. by searching for Case No. 7:24-CR-102-FL