Jacksonville man pleads guilty to drug distribution

JACKSONVILLE, N.C. (WNCT) — A Jacksonville man was sentenced to 10 years in prison this week for distribution of crack cocaine and other charges.

Roy Cox, 37, of Jacksonville, was charged with distribution of crack cocaine, possession with intent to distribute a quantity of cocaine and failure to register as a sex offender. Cox pleaded guilty to a drug charge on March 27 and a sex offense on June 27.

Cox was reportedly involved in the transportation of controlled substances from Florida to eastern North Carolina. In May 2023, law enforcement agencies made three controlled purchases of crack cocaine from Cox. Cox was then arrested in June 2023. Law enforcement authorities found a bag with 470 grams of cocaine in the car in which Cox was a passenger.

Cox also had a previous conviction in Florida for sex crimes that he failed to register in the state of North Carolina. The United States Marshal’s Service was separately investigating the crime at the time of his arrest.

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