RALEIGH, N.C. (NCN News) – After a failed attempt to flush away the evidence, an Edgecombe County man was sentenced on drug charges.
A federal judge sentenced Monted Quintrell Council, also known as “Rude,” 39, to 6 years in federal prison for possession with intent to distribute 40 grams of fentanyl. On June 11, 2026, Council pleaded guilty in federal court.
Monted Quintrell Council (photo courtesy U.S. Attorney’s office)
“Council flooded our communities with fentanyl, treating neighborhoods like hunting grounds without any regard to the families he left in shambles, broke and broken,” said U.S. Attorney Ellis Boyle. “Today’s sentence sends a stern warning across Eastern North Carolina; we will track every dealer who thinks they can slither through the weeds in the shadows, slash the smothering vines of their drug networks, and lock them away where they can’t spread poison. Simple Lesson: Drugs Kill, Prison Awaits – Do Right,”
In November 2024, the ATF and the Edgecombe County Sheriff’s Office launched an investigation into Council’s fentanyl‑trafficking operation. Investigators quickly gathered evidence, including a controlled purchase of fentanyl pills from Council. On December 12, 2024, officers moved in with a search warrant. As they breached his house, Council attempted to flush his stash of fentanyl pills down the toilet. He failed. Law enforcement recovered 55 grams of fentanyl from his septic tank, illustrating the lengths he would stoop to hide his crimes.
Council has multiple North Carolina state convictions, including a 2010 conviction for possessing a Schedule VI controlled substance, a 2010 conviction for possessing marijuana with intent to sell or deliver, and a 2017 conviction for maintaining a place for selling illegal drugs.
“Thank you to our community, narcotics team and our local, state, federal partners,” said Edgecombe County Sheriff Cleveland Atkinson. “We will remain committed to hold drug dealers accountable for the drugs they distribute in our community.”
Ellis Boyle, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge James C. Dever III. The ATF and the Edgecombe County Sheriff’s Office collaborated on this investigation.