Attorney General Jeff Jackson Upholds Criminal Convictions and Sentences in Murder, Sex Crimes, and Drug Cases Across North Carolina

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Tuesday, September 1, 2026
Contact: comms@ncdoj.gov
919-538-2809

RALEIGH — Attorney General Jeff Jackson and the North Carolina Department of Justice upheld criminal convictions and sentences in 13 Court of Appeals opinions released Aug. 19 and 11 North Carolina Supreme Court opinions released Aug. 14. The Court of Appeals cases include a first-degree murder case out of Wake County, a drug trafficking case out of Vance County, a sexual exploitation case out of Johnston County, and a sex offense case out of New Hanover County. The Supreme Court cases include a drug case out of Union County, a murder case out of Wake County, a murder case out of Guilford County, and a sex abuse case out of Wake County.

The North Carolina Department of Justice is responsible for defending criminal convictions in the state’s appellate courts, including the North Carolina Supreme Court.

“As Attorney General, my top priority is keeping people safe,” said Attorney General Jeff Jackson. “My office will continue taking on these fights in court to ensure justice is upheld and to protect North Carolinians from crime. I’m grateful to our prosecutors for fighting to deliver justice in every case.”

In State v. Wishart, the Court of Appeals upheld Wendy Wishart’s conviction of first-degree murder. The case was originally tried by the office of Wake County District Attorney Lorrin Freeman. In May 2021, Wishart invited the victim, who was her ex-husband, to her house. In testimony at trial, her child recalled seeing Wishart grab a gun, hearing the victim say Wishart’s name, then hearing a loud noise and hearing the victim fall to the ground. Wishart called 911, and police found her firearm with one used casing on the dining room table. Her thumbprint was later found on the gun. Wishart was sentenced to life imprisonment without the possibility of parole.

In State v. Davis, the Court of Appeals upheld Dwayne G. Davis’ conviction of trafficking heroin, possession of a firearm by felon, and possession of a firearm with an altered serial number. The case was originally tried by the North Carolina Department of Justice’s Special Prosecutions Section in Vance County Superior Court. In September 2013, Davis was staying at his grandmother’s house. Officers found evidence of heroin, drug paraphernalia, and two firearms, one of which had the serial number scratched off, at the house. Officers found enough heroin to yield more than 2,400 dosage units. There was also evidence that Davis was cooking a cutting agent for heroin distribution, and he later admitted that he planned to package the drugs for sale. Davis was sentenced to 225–282 months in prison for trafficking opium or heroin, 17–30 months for possession of firearm by felon, and 10–21 months for possession of a firearm with an altered serial number.

In State v. Hilliard, the Court of Appeals upheld Jacob Christopher Hilliard’s conviction of second-degree sexual exploitation of a minor. The case was originally tried by the office of Johnston County District Attorney Jason Waller. In June 2021, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children received a tip about suspected child pornography uploaded to Kik Messenger. Law enforcement responded to the home associated with the suspect’s IP address in August 2021, and Hilliard was indicted in January 2022 based on allegations he had received and exchanged images and videos depicting child sexual abuse material. He was sentenced to 25 to 90 months of imprisonment suspended for a term of 25 months of supervised probation.

In State v. Andrzejewski, the Court of Appeals upheld Marx Michael Andrzejewski’s conviction of two charges of second-degree sexual offense. The case was originally tried by the office of New Hanover County District Attorney Jason Smith. In July 2020, the victim was eating and drinking at a friend’s house while her friend’s husband, Andrzejewski, made drinks. She started feeling off and later couldn’t remember how she got to bed. She woke up not feeling right and feeling like “something had happened.” She was taken to a hospital and tested positive for benzodiazepine, and her husband called 911 to report sexual assault. Andrzejewski was arrested.

In State v. Garmon, the North Carolina Supreme Court upheld Charles Leon Garmon’s habitual felon conviction. In 2020, an officer found a bookbag containing a digital scale, plastic bags, a bag with a leafy green substance, a bag with a crystallized substance, a bag with a white powdery substance, pills, a marijuana grinder, and eye drops in Garmon’s car. The officer also found a handgun under the passenger seat, ammunition, and a piece of paper with a white powdery substance. Garmon was convicted in trial court in Union County of trafficking in opioids by possession, trafficking in opioids by transportation, possessing drug paraphernalia, and keeping or maintaining a vehicle for the keeping or selling of controlled substances. He pleaded guilty to attaining habitual felon status.

In State v. Thomas, the Supreme Court upheld Kedrick Daquane Thomas’ conviction of one count of second-degree murder and one count of assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill inflicting serious injury. In 2019, a car drove by a Raleigh convenience store, and a passenger fired multiple rounds from the car, killing one person and seriously injuring three others. Law enforcement identified Thomas as the suspected shooter, and he was charged.

In State v. Gupton, the Supreme Court upheld Garry Joseph Gupton’s sentence of life in prison. The sentence followed his conviction of first-degree murder and first-degree arson in Guilford County Superior Court. In 2014, Gupton met the victim at a nightclub in Greensboro, and the two went to a hotel. Gupton had a confrontation with the night attendant and, shortly after, smoke was seen coming from Gupton’s room. Law enforcement and firefighters found the room filled with smoke and the victim lying on the floor. The victim suffered severe burns and later died. Authorities determined that the cause of the hotel room fire was arson.

In State v. Wingate, the Supreme Court reversed the Court of Appeals decision to vacate Kevin Leigh Wingate’s sentence of 364 to 536 months in prison and remand for a new trial. In 2017, Wingate sexually abused his 12-year-old son on multiple occasions, starting when the child’s mother was on an international trip. He was found guilty of four counts of indecent liberties with a child and one count of statutory sex offense with a child by an adult in Wake County Superior Court.

You can read more about other criminal convictions the Department of Justice has recently defended here.

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