By admin 
CHARLOTTE (QUEEN CITY NEWS) – A northeast Charlotte hotel became a major hub for drug trafficking and illegal firearms activity, leading to five people being charged following a six-month investigation, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the FBI, and CMPD.
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On Wednesday morning, FBI agents and CMPD officers executed arrest and search warrants at The Garden Inn & Suites on Reagan Drive.
Investigators said the operation focused on the distribution of fentanyl, cocaine, and other controlled substances in and around the hotel, as well as other illegal activity. Officials say more than 1,700 grams of narcotics were seized during the operation.
More than 200 calls to the property
According to CMPD, officers responded to more than 240 calls for service at the property in 2025 alone, a 20% increase from the previous year. Authorities described the hotel as a “stronghold for illicit activity” and a distribution hub for drugs and guns.
Federal prosecutors also filed a civil forfeiture complaint seeking to take ownership of the hotel, alleging the property helped facilitate significant drug trafficking activity.
Hotel’s security team involved
Court documents allege several suspects rented rooms at the hotel and used them to store and distribute drugs. Investigators say some members of the hotel’s security team were involved, including suspect Marcus Logan, identified as the head of security.
Authorities say undercover officers conducted controlled purchases of drugs and firearms from four members of the hotel’s security staff.
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They say some security workers had criminal records or gang ties and used their positions, sometimes while wearing security uniforms, to cover up drug-dealing activity.
4 suspects arrested, 5th on the run
Those charged include Justin Lamont Day, 29; Michael Boatwright, 37, of Charlotte; Marcus Logan, 39, of Gastonia; and Naquan Smith, 43, of Charlotte.
A fifth suspect has not yet been arrested.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office says the hotel’s owner had been repeatedly warned about drug trafficking and criminal activity at the property, but failed to “take meaningful action” despite repeated law enforcement intervention and hundreds of police calls.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office described the property as “a farmer’s market for drugs and guns.”
In total, authorities said 11 people have been charged in connection with this operation.
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