WHITEVILLE, NC (WECT) – District Attorney Jon David on October 25th shared details of two drug convictions in Columbus County Superior Court.

Banks Raphel Batton, 37, of Tabor City, was sentenced to 35-51 months in prison and a $50,000 fine for two counts of trafficking in cocaine and other offenses stemming from incidents in 2021 and 2022. Both they came from search warrants at his home, according to the prosecutor, and detectives found guns, cash, digital scales, marijuana and a money counting machine.

Phillip Ruffin of New York pleaded guilty to opioid trafficking that same week and was sentenced to 70-93 months in prison along with a $50,000 fine. He and his brother were both pulled over with suspended tags by the Columbus County Sheriff’s Office in August 2023. The DA says he had 15 grams of oxycodone pills in his pants. His brother later pleaded guilty earlier this year.

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