A Kinston politician’s legal battles have ended in a plea deal, resolving charges from two separate investigations.
Quarla Blackwell pleaded guilty to misdemeanor gambling in Lenoir County District Court.
The charge stemmed from a police raid that shut down an illegal casino Blackwell operated on Facebook, where players bet on virtual slot and fish games. In exchange for her plea, prosecutors dropped four felony money laundering counts and separate election fraud charges.
Those election charges emerged after the local Republican Party discovered Blackwell was on active felony probation when she filed to run for Kinston City Council, misrepresenting her eligibility to hold office.
Blackwell served ten days in jail and is now pursuing $5 million federal lawsuits against local officials over her arrests.