Man gets 40 years in prison for dealing drugs out of Fayetteville daycare center in 2018

Lexi Solomon, The Fayetteville Observer
·3 min read
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In 2018, Fayetteville police said they seized drugs, weapons and money during searches of three locations related to Reshod Everett. In May, Everett was found guilty of weapon and drug distribution charges. He was sentenced to 40 years in prison Thursday.
In 2018, Fayetteville police said they seized drugs, weapons and money during searches of three locations related to Reshod Everett. In May, Everett was found guilty of weapon and drug distribution charges. He was sentenced to 40 years in prison Thursday.

A man who prosecutors say dealt drugs out of his Fayetteville home that doubled as a child daycare center was sentenced to 40 years in prison on Thursday, the U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina announced during a news conference Friday morning in Fayetteville.

Reshod Jamar Everett, 36, was found guilty at trial on May 10 of conspiracy to distribute 1,000 kilograms or more of marijuana, 5 kilograms or more of cocaine, and THC, the psychoactive substance that produces a high in marijuana; possession with intent to distribute marijuana and cocaine, and aiding and abetting the possession; possession with intent to distribute THC and tramadol, a synthetic opioid; possession with intent to distribute marijuana, and aiding and abetting possession; and two counts of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.

Reshod Everett was sentenced to 40 years in prison on Thursday for selling large quantities of drugs in Fayetteville.
Reshod Everett was sentenced to 40 years in prison on Thursday for selling large quantities of drugs in Fayetteville.

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According to U.S. Attorney Michael Easley, Everett was a U.S. Post Office employee when he was arrested in 2018 after investigators with the Fayetteville Police Department discovered he was distributing kilograms of controlled substances in the Fayetteville area. He was federally indicted in 2020.

On July 17, 2018, during searches of a storage unit and a Middle Bridge Road apartment in Everett’s name, as well as his main residence on Ronald Reagan Drive. law enforcement seized more than 101 pounds of marijuana, more than 300 grams of cocaine, $65,000, nine firearms, ammunition, THC edibles, 300 grams of concentrated THC wax, tramadol and drug packaging materials, according to court records.

The Ronald Reagan Drive address was also the location of Tori’s Playhouse, a state-licensed daycare center Everett and his wife operated. Victoria Everett was not charged in the investigation, according to Assistant U.S. Attorney Scott Lemmon.

"This drug trafficker put countless lives at risk," Easley said.

Easley noted that in addition to the drugs seized, multiple loaded firearms were recovered from the Ronald Reagan Drive home.

"Just a small amount of pressure on the trigger would've caused the gun to fire," he said.

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An investigation by the Internal Revenue Service also showed that Everett lied about his finances, falsely reporting a negative income of $29,544 in 2017 and failing to file a tax return in 2018, according to Easley. In reality, he said, Everett had a "lavish lifestyle," owning a 3,000-square-foot home and three newer vehicles, in addition to taking regular vacations with family.

Furthermore, Easley said, Everett tried to intimidate witnesses via social media and interfere with the trial through means like offering to pay fellow inmates to provide false testimony.

"These tactics included giving false testimony under oath, attempting to bribe or threaten others to give false testimony, utilizing gang members to intimidate witnesses, and engaging in an extensive social media campaign to falsely accuse the Fayetteville Police Department and Cumberland Country District Attorney's Office of wrongdoing," a Friday news release said.

Federal court records state that in addition to the prison sentence, Everett was ordered to forfeit the proceeds of his drug sales — estimated to be "at least" $4 million — as well as nine weapons, including several high-powered, magazine-fed rifles.

At the time of his arrest, Everett's supporters claimed he was framed by police, and Everett posted video to the internet from his doorbell camera he said showed police carrying drugs into his home.

"For years, Reshod Everett used the compassion of our community to deflect from his criminal activity in order to garner mistrust of the police department," Fayetteville Police Chief Gina Hawkins said in the news release.

"It's been a long time we've had to await justice," Hawkins said at Friday's news conference. "Perseverance is the word for today."

Easley praised the Fayetteville Police Department's investigation, adding that officers "took the high road" in the face of Everett's allegations.

"Armed drug traffickers in Eastern North Carolina are on notice," Easley said. "Let this 40-year sentence be a warning."

Crime editor F.T. Norton contributed to this report. 

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This article originally appeared on The Fayetteville Observer: Reshod Everett was sent to prison for 40 years in Fayetteville daycare drug sales