Conover Man Sentenced To Prison For Trafficking Fentanyl

Newton: A Conover man received a minimum prison sentence of six years following a drug trial in Catawba County. 47-year-old Jordan Ashlee Abernathy was sentenced to six to eight years after he was found guilty on multiple drug offenses by a jury to conclude a two-day trial in Catawba County Superior Court. The trial wrapped up Wednesday, December 3.

Abernathy was found guilty of trafficking fentanyl by possession and transportation, possession with intent to manufacture, sell, deliver a Schedule II controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia. The Honorable Peter Knight, Superior Court Judge from Henderson County, imposed terms of the active sentence for Abernathy along with a mandatory fine of $500,000. The jury deliberated for approximately an hour before returning its verdict Wednesday afternoon.

Abernathy was the passenger in a vehicle during a traffic stop on February 27, 2023. A K-9 unit alerted to the presence of drugs in the vehicle, and a pencil box was located between the seat and door on the side where Abernathy was sitting. The box contained various drug items, including syringes, Narcan, digital scales and multiple bags of drugs, including pills, rock-like substances and powder. When tested by the State Crime Lab, it was determined the defendant had a trafficking amount of fentanyl.

Brittany Weaver and Alec Blackwood handled the investigation for the Catawba County Sheriff’s Office.

Story: Rob Eastwood-WHKY