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Fayetteville, Cumberland County

Fayetteville: Donquel McEachern sentenced to more than 17 years in federal drug case

The U.S. Attorney's Office said Judge Louise W. Flanagan imposed the term after a June guilty plea. WCTI independently named him, the plea month, and a November 2024 Airbnb search.

ConfirmedThe main facts are confirmed by official or first-hand sources.

By Triangle Local Staff · Published

The Market House on Hay Street in downtown Fayetteville

File photo: Epicjeff (CC BY-SA 3.0), via Wikimedia Commons.

What we know

Confirmed

  • A federal judge sentenced Donquel Caron McEachern, 36, of Fayetteville, to more than 17 years in federal prison for selling cocaine and fentanyl in Cumberland County, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of North Carolina.Confirmed by U.S. Attorney's Office, Eastern District of North Carolina, news release dated Oct. 26, 2026
  • WCTI, writing overnight, independently named McEachern, his age, the Fayetteville and Cumberland County setting, and wrote that the prison term was more than 17 years.Confirmed by WCTI, Oct. 27, 2026, 3:20 a.m.
  • The office said he pleaded guilty on June 18, 2026, to conspiring to distribute 400 grams of fentanyl, over 1 pound of cocaine, 28 grams of crack cocaine, and marijuana. WCTI reported a June plea to conspiring to distribute those four drugs, without the June 18 date or those weights.Confirmed by U.S. Attorney's Office, Oct. 26, 2026; WCTI, Oct. 27, 2026
  • The same release said he also admitted possessing 400 grams of fentanyl, over 1 pound of cocaine, and 28 grams of crack cocaine with intent to distribute, and possessing a gun to assist the sales. WCTI wrote that he admitted possessing drugs to sell and having a gun to help the operation, without those weights.Confirmed by U.S. Attorney's Office, Oct. 26, 2026; WCTI, Oct. 27, 2026
  • U.S. District Judge Louise W. Flanagan imposed the sentence, the office and WCTI both wrote.Confirmed by U.S. Attorney's Office, Oct. 26, 2026; WCTI, Oct. 27, 2026
  • Investigators began looking at him in 2023, both accounts said. The office wrote that officers twice found him that year with cocaine and a firearm. WCTI did not print those two encounters.Confirmed by U.S. Attorney's Office, Oct. 26, 2026; WCTI, Oct. 27, 2026
  • The office said that on Nov. 6, 2024, investigators searched an Airbnb rental he used and found about 5 pounds of cocaine, 2 pounds of fentanyl, 53 grams of crack cocaine, five guns, and body armor. WCTI placed that search in November 2024 and reported the cocaine, fentanyl, crack cocaine, five guns, and body armor, without the Nov. 6 date or the 53-gram figure.Confirmed by U.S. Attorney's Office, Oct. 26, 2026; WCTI, Oct. 27, 2026
  • The office said that on May 1, 2025, investigators served two more search warrants at later Airbnb rentals and seized more guns, fentanyl, cocaine, and trafficking equipment. WCTI wrote that investigators later searched two more Airbnb rentals and seized additional drugs, guns, and trafficking equipment, without the May 1 date.Confirmed by U.S. Attorney's Office, Oct. 26, 2026; WCTI, Oct. 27, 2026
  • The Drug Enforcement Administration, the Fayetteville Police Department, and the Hope Mills Police Department investigated the case, the office and WCTI both wrote.Confirmed by U.S. Attorney's Office, Oct. 26, 2026; WCTI, Oct. 27, 2026
  • The office listed the federal case as No. 5:25-CR-205-FL-1 in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina.Confirmed by U.S. Attorney's Office, Oct. 26, 2026

Still unknown

  • The exact prison term in months or days. The office said "over 17 years." WCTI said "more than 17 years." WWAY wrote "17 years" without "over."
  • Whether McEachern plans to appeal
  • Street addresses for the Airbnb rentals. None of the pages we read list them

What this means for you

Public safety
This story is a court sentence, not an emergency notice. It is not an official or emergency source. If someone is in immediate danger, call 911.

Instructions from U.S. Attorney's Office, Eastern District of North Carolina

This site is not the U.S. Attorney's Office, the Drug Enforcement Administration, or the Fayetteville or Hope Mills police. For the written announcement, use the Eastern District release. This is not an emergency service. If anyone is in danger, call 911.

What happened

In Fayetteville, a federal judge sentenced Donquel Caron McEachern, 36, to more than 17 years in prison for selling cocaine and fentanyl in Cumberland County, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of North Carolina.

WCTI, writing overnight, independently used the same name, age, and "more than 17 years" wording. WWAY, following the office, wrote "17 years" and dropped the word "over."

Prosecutors said he pleaded guilty on June 18, 2026, to a conspiracy covering 400 grams of fentanyl, over 1 pound of cocaine, 28 grams of crack cocaine, and marijuana. WCTI reported a June plea to conspiring to distribute those four drugs and did not print the June 18 date or those weights.

He also admitted, the release said, that he possessed those three drug amounts to sell and that he had a gun to help the sales. WCTI described the gun admission without the weights.

U.S. District Judge Louise W. Flanagan imposed the term, the office said, and WCTI reported the same judge. The release lists the file as No. 5:25-CR-205-FL-1.

Investigators began the case in 2023, both accounts said. The announcement added that officers twice found him that year with cocaine and a firearm.

In November 2024, WCTI wrote, officers searched an Airbnb rental and found about five pounds of cocaine, two pounds of fentanyl, crack cocaine, five guns, and body armor. The office dated that search Nov. 6 and put the crack amount at 53 grams.

Two later warrants, on May 1, 2025, were served at other Airbnb rentals and seized more guns, fentanyl, cocaine, and packaging gear, the office said. WCTI wrote that investigators later searched two more rentals, without that May date.

The Drug Enforcement Administration, Fayetteville police, and Hope Mills police investigated the case, according to the release and WCTI.

This site is not the U.S. Attorney's Office or a local police department. If anyone is in danger, call 911.

What we don't know yet

The written announcement does not give the sentence in months. It also does not say whether he will appeal, and it does not list the rental addresses.

What happens next

He is to serve the term in the federal system. We will update this story if the court posts the exact months.

Photos

Text-only. No office or outlet photos are used here.

Why it matters

A Fayetteville man is going to federal prison after admitting he sold fentanyl and cocaine in Cumberland County. Neighbors need the office's own figures, the second account we can read, and that the release does not state an exact month count for the term.

Updates

  1. Oct 27, 2026, 7:55 AM

    The U.S. Attorney's Office, in a Monday release, said Judge Louise W. Flanagan sentenced Donquel Caron McEachern, 36, of Fayetteville, to over 17 years after a June 18 guilty plea. WCTI independently named him and reported a June plea and a November 2024 Airbnb search.

Sources

  1. Fayetteville Drug Dealer Sentenced to 17 Years in Federal Prison (U.S. Attorney's Office, Eastern District of North Carolina, dated Monday, Oct. 26, 2026: Donquel Caron McEachern, 36, of Fayetteville; over 17 years; selling cocaine and fentanyl throughout Cumberland County; pleaded guilty June 18, 2026, to conspiring to distribute 400 grams of fentanyl, over 1 pound of cocaine, 28 grams of crack cocaine, and marijuana; also admitted possessing those three drug amounts with intent to distribute and possessing a gun to assist the sales; 2023 investigation; twice found that year with cocaine and a firearm; Nov. 6, 2024, Airbnb search, about 5 pounds of cocaine, 2 pounds of fentanyl, 53 grams of crack cocaine, five guns, and body armor; two traffic stops leading up to May 2025; May 1, 2025, two more Airbnb warrants; U.S. District Judge Louise W. Flanagan; DEA, Fayetteville Police Department, Hope Mills Police Department; Case No. 5:25-CR-205-FL-1. Prosecutor, DEA, and city rhetoric, Homeland Security Task Force framing, and the office photo are not used here.)

    Official sourcePublished by U.S. Attorney's Office, Eastern District of North Carolina · Checked Oct 27, 2026, 7:50 AM

  2. Fayetteville man sentenced in federal drug case (WCTI / News 12, Tuesday, Oct. 27, 2026, 3:20 a.m.: more than 17 years; Donquel Caron McEachern, 36; Cumberland County; pleaded guilty in June to conspiring to distribute fentanyl, cocaine, crack cocaine, and marijuana; admitted possessing drugs to sell and having a gun to help the operation; investigation began in 2023; November 2024 Airbnb search found about five pounds of cocaine, two pounds of fentanyl, crack cocaine, five guns, and body armor; later searched two more Airbnb rentals; Judge Louise W. Flanagan; DEA and the Fayetteville and Hope Mills police departments. Text-only; no WCTI photos used.)

    Published by WCTI · Checked Oct 27, 2026, 7:50 AM

  3. Fayetteville Drug Dealer Sentenced to 17 Years in Federal Prison (WWAY, dated about 14 hours before this file: McEachern, 36, of Fayetteville; "17 years" without "over"; June 18, 2026, plea with the office's 400-gram, over-1-pound, and 28-gram figures; Nov. 6, 2024, search with the 53-gram crack line; May 1, 2025, two more warrants. Used only to record that wording split. Text-only; no WWAY photos used.)

    Published by WWAY · Checked Oct 27, 2026, 7:50 AM

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