Ketamine and $700K in proceeds lands U.S. soldier in federal prison for 15 years
An ex-U.S. Army soldier who was first arrested while stationed at what was then known as Fort Bragg was sentenced to 15 years in federal prison last week for trafficking the hallucinogenic ketamine and laundering more than $700,000 while awaiting sentencing on the ketamine charge.
Gordon Ray Custis 26, was sentenced in U.S. District Court in Raleigh on Jan. 18. He pleaded guilty in September to possession with the intent to distribute ketamine, conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute ketamine; and money laundering.
Federal court records show that his wife, Shabrea Chantel Bright, who was also an active-duty soldier at the time of the alleged offenses, is charged with two counts each of conspiracy to money launder and aiding and abetting money laundering by structuring; and one count each of making false statements to a department or agency of the United States and conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute ketamine.
Cumberland County public records indicate the couple married in June 2020.
She pleaded not guilty in November, paving the way for trial. At the time of her arrest in February 2023, she was stationed at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland, records state.
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The first arrest
Court documents and information from the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of North Carolina state that an investigation into Custis began on May 7, 2021, when U.S. Homeland Security was notified that French customs officers at Charles de Gaulle Airport outside Paris had intercepted a package addressed to Custis that contained approximately three kilograms of ketamine.
The package, which originated from Cameroon in Central Africa, was delivered to Custis' Fayetteville home by undercover members of the Cumberland County Sheriff's Office who were assigned to a U.S. Homeland Security Investigations task force, a news release. At the time, Custis was an active-duty soldier.
He pleaded guilty in November 2022 to possession with the intent to distribute ketamine and was released on bail pending sentencing.
Affidavit: 'Increase in illicit activity' after arrest
Yet, while awaiting sentencing, the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of N.C. said, Army investigators received information that Custis was laundering money. A subsequent investigation revealed he was acting in a leadership role allegedly involving others, including his wife, and laundered more than $700,000, the release said.
On Feb. 1, 2023 — by this time Custis was living in Rockville, Maryland— another search warrant was served on his Maryland home and investigators recovered 28.5 kilograms of ketamine, $164,200 in cash, digital scales and vacuum-sealing materials. An affidavit in support of the search warrant states that following his arrest in May 2021, Custis was discharged from the Army and was receiving disability payments.
"A comparison of the deposits into CUSTIS’ account before ... and after his arrest on May 18, 2021, indicates an increase in illicit activity after CUSTIS’s arrest," the affidavit states. "CUSTIS is using cryptocurrency to purchase controlled substances online and working with (his wife Shabrea Bright and others) to launder the cash proceeds of those drug transactions into (bitcoin)."
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Michael Easley, the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, said the case was investigated by the U.S. Army Criminal Investigative Division, Defense Criminal Investigative Service, Homeland Security Investigations, and Cumberland County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Gabe Diaz handled the prosecution.
“We are partnering with the Army to crack down on drug-trafficking soldiers like Custis, who was caught with over sixty pounds of illicit African-sourced ketamine,” Easley said in the release. “This fifteen-year sentence is a warning to any member of our armed services who thinks they can engage in drug trafficking and money laundering while wearing the uniform. American troops are the greatest fighting force in the world’s history, and we are proud to partner with the Army to ensure integrity in the ranks.”
This article originally appeared on The Fayetteville Observer: Gordon Custis gets 15 years in prison for money laundering, drugs
