Hickory Man Gets Minimum Prison Term Of Eighteen Years In Meth Trafficking Case

A Hickory man will spend 15 to 18 years in prison following his conviction for two counts of trafficking by possession and another count of attempted trafficking by possession. The defendant was sentenced during Catawba County Superior Court on Monday, June 8th. The Honorable Sherri W. Elliott, Superior Court Judge from Catawba County, imposed terms of the active sentence after 36-year-old Xavier Marquis Lee Winston entered guilty pleas to trafficking fentanyl and methamphetamine, and attempted trafficking of meth. She also assessed mandatory fines totaling $150,000.

On December 30, 2024, a traffic stop for driving while license revoked was made by officers with Hickory Police Department following a controlled buy from and surveillance of Winston. A K-9 unit alerted to the presence of narcotics in the vehicle. A search led to the recovery of trafficking amounts of fentanyl and methamphetamine.

The defendant was found with methamphetamine on his body and in his laundry hamper during execution of a search warrant at his hotel room on February 28, 2025.

Story: Rob Eastwood-WHKY