A Raleigh resident was sentenced to nine years in federal prison on Monday for trafficking fentanyl and cocaine, following an investigation that revealed drugs hidden in a storage unit and a bathroom toilet.
On March 26, Enrico Ferrante Cotton, 55, pled guilty to charges of fentanyl distribution and possession with intent to distribute cocaine and 40 grams or more of fentanyl.
According to court documents, the investigation began in February 2024, when law enforcement obtained information from a private source that Cotton was supplying fentanyl and cocaine in the Raleigh region. On March 1, 2024, Cotton made a controlled buy, selling 32.82 grams of fentanyl for $1,500. During the transaction, Cotton and the buyer discussed cocaine sales.
In the days that followed, authorities monitored Cotton’s visits to a storage container. On March 6, a K-9 unit detected the presence of narcotics at the scene, necessitating the execution of a search warrant. Officers seized heroin, fentanyl, cocaine, 4-anilino-N-phenylpiperidine (ANPP), and narcotics paraphernalia.
Later that day, investigators searched Cotton’s home. There, they discovered 47.35 grams of fentanyl and ANPP hidden in the toilet. Authorities also seized $9,231 in cash, four phones, 55 rounds of ammunition, a loaded magazine, and a money counter.
The sentencing was announced by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of North Carolina.
