Statesville Man To Serve Minimum Six-Years

25-year-old Tony Ray Kirkland II of Statesville, will spend six to eight years in prison after pleading guilty to trafficking methamphetamine by possession, robbery with a dangerous weapon and assaulting a detention officer during Catawba County Superior Court on Tuesday, May 6.

The Honorable Karen Eady-Williams, Superior Court Judge from Mecklenburg County, imposed terms of the active sentence after the defendant entered the guilty plea. The defendant will be required to pay a mandatory fine of $50,000.

Kirkland was one of four occupants in a vehicle that was stopped on January 25, 2022, by Catawba County deputies. During a search of the defendant, a plastic bag with a trafficking amount of methamphetamine was found. On June 20, 2024, Kirkland and a co-defendant robbed a tattoo artist and took more than $6,000 of equipment, supplies and cash from him.

While he was in jail on October 8, 2024, Kirkland assaulted a detention officer. When it was time to return to his cell, Kirkland became combative and attacked the officer, leading to injuries.

The cases were investigated by Hickory Police Department and the Catawba County Sheriff’s Office.

Story: Rob Eastwood-WHKY