On Wednesday, December 21st, 2022, members of the Kinston Police Department Violent Criminal Action Team concluded an investigation into the illegal narcotics distribution by Raheem Freeland, 27, of Kinston. Members of the Kinston Police Department’s SWAT Team and the Lenoir County Sheriff’s Office Special Response Team conducted a Search Warrant on Freeland’s residence located on the 1500 block of Stroud Ave. Kinston, N.C. and during the search officers’ located cocaine, and various amounts of drug paraphernalia.

Freeland, who was also on Electronic Ankle Monitoring through the NC Department of Community Corrections for a previous Firearm Possession charge, was charged with the following:

∙ (3) Counts of Sell/Deliver Cocaine

∙ Possession with Intent to Sell/Deliver Cocaine

∙ (4) Counts of Felony Maintaining a Dwelling for the Distribution of a Controlled Substance ∙ (4) Counts of Sell a Controlled Substance within 1000 ft. of a School

∙ Possession of Drug Paraphernalia

The Kinston Police Department is committed to collaborating with the Lenoir County Sheriff’s Office to focus our efforts on Lenoir County’s Violent Criminal Offenders. This is the second operation in the recent days and more will follow. If anyone has information about this incident or any other incidents, please call the Kinston Police Department’s Tips Line at 252- 939-4020 or Lenoir County Crime Stoppers at 252-523-4444. Calls to Crime Stoppers are confidential and anonymous, and the caller may be eligible for a cash reward for information that leads to an arrest.