Police lieutenant helped son traffic drugs in North Carolina, feds say. They get prison
A former police lieutenant is headed to prison after federal prosecutors said he helped his son traffic a variety of drugs in North Carolina, including cocaine, heroin and fentanyl.
His son is going to prison, too, according to prosecutors.
Charles Page, who served in law enforcement for 13 years, was caught sharing confidential information with his son, Treyvon Ladonte Page, about drug trafficking investigations involving him, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of North Carolina.
He resigned from the Ayden Police Department after he was found to have “167 grams of pure methamphetamine; 72 grams of cocaine; 15 grams of cocaine base (crack); and three shotguns” inside his house during the execution of a search warrant in 2022, prosecutors said.
Now, Charles Page, 52, has been sentenced to four years in prison in connection with drug trafficking crimes, the U.S. Attorney’s Office said in a Jan. 14 news release.
“This police lieutenant, a 13-year veteran of the force, used his official position to access confidential databases and share intelligence to advance his son’s drug trafficking,” U.S. Attorney Michael F. Easley Jr. said in a statement.
“We won’t tolerate public officials breaching the public’s trust to help criminals, whether they are family or not.”
Charles Page previously pleaded guilty to use of a communication facility to facilitate a felony, court documents show.
His defense attorney, Ania Gabriella DeJoy of Polk Law PLLC in Raleigh, declined a request for comment from McClatchy News on Jan. 15.
A judge sentenced Treyvon Page, 29, to 10 years in prison in connection with trafficking drugs in 2021 and 2022, the U.S. Attorney’s Office said.
Ahead of sentencing, he pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine, a quantity of cocaine and a quantity of cocaine base (crack), according to court records.
His defense attorney didn’t return a request for comment Jan. 15.
The investigation
Treyvon Page landed on law enforcement’s radar in July 2021, when authorities received information about him dealing cocaine, heroin, fentanyl and marijuana in Pitt County, according to prosecutors.
In a sting operation, authorities bought heroin, fentanyl, cocaine and methamphetamine from Treyvon Page during 15 “controlled purchases” between November 2021 and August 2022, prosecutors said.
After law enforcement noticed Treyvon Page would visit his father’s home in Grifton on the day of these controlled purchases, the home was revealed to be a location used for drug trafficking activities, according to prosecutors and court documents.
Authorities learned Charles Page was aware of his son’s drug trafficking and supported his efforts, based on interviews with cooperating sources, prosecutors said.
Charles Page repeatedly used confidential law enforcement databases to search his son’s name and the names of his “drug dealing associates,” the U.S. Attorney’s Office said.
He would let his son know whether any active warrants were issued for him and shared private information with him about investigations, including names of victims, according to prosecutors.
Law enforcement sources reported Treyvon Page regularly asked his father to access confidential information, prosecutors said.
The FBI raided Charles Page’s home in September 2022, WITN reported. Pitt County records reviewed by the outlet revealed his son lived with him at the time.
“Many thanks to the FBI and the countless other honest officers who worked tirelessly to bring this scheme to light,” Easley said in a statement.
Ayden Police Chief David Dempsey didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.
Ayden is about a 90-mile drive southeast from Raleigh.
This story was originally published January 15, 2025 at 4:02 PM with the headline "Police lieutenant helped son traffic drugs in North Carolina, feds say. They get prison."
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