Two Wilson County residents were sentenced to lengthy federal prison terms after pleading guilty to methamphetamine distribution charges.

Robert Eddie Langley, 41, of Lucama, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute a quantity of methamphetamine and distributing a quantity of methamphetamine and was sentenced to 15.6 years in the Federal Bureau of Prisons, followed by five years of supervised probation.

Mary Elizabeth Mitchell, 40, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute a quantity of methamphetamine and distributing methamphetamine stemming from the Langley investigation and was sentenced to serve five years in the Federal Bureau of Prisons, followed by four years of supervised probation.

The cases were heard Tuesday in the Eastern District of North Carolina with Chief U.S. District Judge Richard E. Myers II presiding.

Chief of Staff Wanda Samuel of the Wilson County Sheriff’s Office said narcotics officers put considerable effort into the investigation that led to Langley and Mitchell’s prosecution.

“It was determined through the investigation that Robert Eddie Langley was the leader of a ‘drug trafficking organization’ that spanned between Wilson, Johnston and Wayne counties,” Samuel said.

She said deputies seized a combined total of 153.2 grams (5.4 ounces) of methamphetamine.

Detectives with the Wilson County Sheriff’s Office Special Operations Division received citizen complaints about a person who lived at 6048 Wiggins Mill Road outside Lucama, Samuel said. The home is within sight of Springfield Middle School.

“Detectives and members of the STAR (Sheriff’s Traffic Accident Reduction Unit) unit conducted proactive enforcement following up on the complaints received,” Samuel said.

She said Langley was arrested several times for out-of-county outstanding warrants. However, Langley posted bond, and authorities say the problems persisted.

“Detectives continued the investigation and determined Robert Eddie Langley was selling methamphetamine in the crystal form,” Samuel said. “Detectives further determined that his live-in girlfriend, Mary Elizabeth Mitchell was also selling crystal methamphetamine.”

Samuel said sheriff’s detectives “conducted numerous hours of surveillance and conducted proactive enforcement” that led to the seizure of 110.7 grams of methamphetamine.

Samuel said the sheriff’s office Special Operations Division and its tactical unit, the Special Response Team, executed a search warrant at 6048 Wiggins Mill Road on Jan. 7, 2020.

Detectives seized an additional 42.5 grams of methamphetamine during the raid and arrested Mitchell, Langley and two co-defendants.