Asheville man sent to prison after fentanyl trafficking bust
Asheville, NC – A long-running narcotics investigation ended with a guilty plea and a multi-year prison sentence after authorities tied an Asheville man to fentanyl trafficking and illegal firearms through two major drug seizures.
Buncombe County District Attorney officials said Russell Toothman was sentenced to at least 7½ years in state prison after pleading guilty to multiple drug trafficking and firearm charges. The sentence was handed down Monday by Superior Court Judge Jacqueline Grant.
Toothman pleaded guilty to conspiracy to traffic opium or heroin, trafficking methamphetamine, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Under North Carolina’s mandatory sentencing laws, he received a prison term of 90 to 120 months and was ordered to pay a $100,000 fine.
The case stemmed from an investigation by the Buncombe County Sheriff’s Department Illegal Gun Reduction and Narcotics Taskforce. Investigators began focusing on Toothman after receiving information linking him to an ongoing trafficking operation.
Authorities made their first major seizure on May 15, when Toothman was a passenger in a vehicle stopped by law enforcement. During that stop, agents recovered four grams of fentanyl and a Smith & Wesson 9mm handgun.
A second seizure followed on September 5, when investigators executed a search warrant at a residence connected to Toothman. During that search, agents recovered 110 grams of fentanyl and 28 grams of methamphetamine.
The prosecution was handled by Assistant District Attorney Justin Steen.
Key Points
- An Asheville man pleaded guilty to fentanyl trafficking and firearm charges
- Russell Toothman was sentenced to 7½ to 10 years in North Carolina prison and fined $100,000
- Investigators seized fentanyl methamphetamine and a handgun during the probe