RALEIGH, N.C. (WNCN) – A former Raleigh firefighter and his wife face at least 10 years in prison after pleading guilty to charges stemming from using the dark web and cryptocurrency to distribute illegal drugs across eastern North Carolina, the U.S. Department of Justice said in a news release on Thursday.
Nicholas and Amanda Banister both entered guilty pleas in connection with running a large-scale drug trafficking operation, involving cocaine, methamphetamine and other narcotics, DOJ officials said. He worked as a senior firefighter with the City of Raleigh when he was arrested in May 2024.
According to court documents and other information presented in court, Nicholas conspired with his wife to sell cocaine and methamphetamine on four different occasions to an undercover law enforcement officer at the Morgan Street Food Hall in Raleigh.
“The defendant, a Raleigh firefighter, served in a position of public trust, but was hiding in plain sight as he and his wife sold numerous types of illegal narcotics around businesses the community frequently visits,” said Daniel Bubar, the acting U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, said in a statement.
“I’m proud of our federal and state partners at the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF) and North Carolina Alcohol Law Enforcement (NC ALE) for their hard work, which is holding these individuals accountable and making our community safer.”
Special agents with North Carolina Alcohol Law Enforcement then executed a search warrant at their home, locating and seizing the following items:
- 1,324.43 grams of methamphetamine
- 844 grams of cocaine
- 7+ kilograms of marijuana
- 382 grams of psilocybin mushrooms
- Xanax and Ecstasy pills
- 216 units of LSD
- 15 grams of dimethyltryptamine (DMT)
- Two firearms
- Digital wallet used to store cryptocurrency
- $213,810 in U.S. currency.
Nicholas had been selling cocaine, methamphetamine, and LSD every other week for at least a year prior to his arrest, prosecutors said.
“Banister purchased the narcotics from the dark web using cryptocurrency, had them shipped to North Carolina, and then sold them to various buyers, primarily in the Glenwood South area,” according to a news release from the U.S. Department of Justice. “Banister utilized the Snapchat application to advertise narcotics by providing a ‘menu’ for buyers.”
In the release, DOJ officials included an image of Nicholas’s Snapchat account, which was presented in court:
In total, the couple faced over 50 charges for their involvement in the major drug ring, which operated in and around several nightclubs in the downtown Raleigh area, prosecutors said.
Each faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years in prison when they are sentenced at a later date, according to DOJ officials.
“It is unfortunate to see someone we trust to help keep us protected involved in criminal activities that jeopardize public safety,” ATF Special Agent in Charge Alicia Jones said in a statement. “ATF realizes the danger and violence associated with drug trafficking, and we’re proud to work with our local and state law enforcement partners to break up those networks and better protect our communities.”
“A primary focus for ALE is reducing crime associated with alcohol establishments and protecting the safety of our communities,” said Bryan House, the director of North Carolina Alcohol Law Enforcement, said in a statement. “In this case, undercover ALE special agents conducted a comprehensive investigation that led to the arrest and conviction of two individuals—one of whom had taken an oath to protect others, but instead chose to put lives at risk.”
“We’re hopeful this case, along with our continued efforts, will have a positive impact on our state,” House added.
Those living on Long Cove Court are still shocked about the arrests of the Banisters, their neighbors and friends.
“I was dumbfounded,” one neighbor said. “I couldn’t believe it. Anyone who knows Nick and Amanda Banister [knows] they were servants, they were great for the community.”
Neighbor Tom Gargano, a good friend of the Banisters, visited Nicholas in jail after the arrests.
“He seemed to be accepting what happened,” Gargano said. “[He] was in good spirits, but realized he had done something he had to pay for now. That was really sad to see.”
“It’s hard to take in,” Gargano said. “Honestly, I don’t see them as bad people.”
The City of Raleigh did not respond to a request for comment.
Nicholas and Amanda each face a mandatory minimum of 10 years in prison when they are sentenced at a later date within the next few months, according to DOJ officials.
