Lawrence Robinson, Fentanyl Trafficking, North Carolina 2022

A South Carolina man was sentenced to 13 years in prison today for trafficking nearly a kilogram of fentanyl, announced Dena J. King, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina.

Lawrence Robinson, 32, of Wellford, South Carolina, was also ordered to serve five years of supervised release, as per the sentencing. This stems from a case filed in 2020, where Robinson was found to be in possession of nearly a kilogram of fentanyl at a short-term rental property in Charlotte.

Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department (CMPD) officers responding to a service call on August 3, 2020, located a backpack containing 774.74 grams of fentanyl, as well as marijuana, ammunition, a digital scale, and other drug paraphernalia commonly used to package narcotics for distribution. The investigation revealed that Robinson was carrying the backpack from his parked vehicle to the rental property.

When CMPD officers conducted a traffic stop of Robinson’s vehicle, they arrested him at the scene. A search warrant for his vehicle and the rental unit led to the recovery of a loaded firearm with a round of ammunition in the chamber, $10,000 in cash, and a money counter. Upon further investigation, officers recovered an assault rifle and ammunition, narcotics, and more than $10,000 in cash from Robinson’s apartment in Asheville.

On March 25, 2022, Robinson pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and marijuana. This sentence was handed down by U.S. District Judge Robert J. Conrad Jr.

“Fentanyl is a killer drug. A small dose can lead to an overdose death,” said U.S. Attorney King. “From street dealers, to crooked doctors, to bulk traffickers, anyone who distributes this potentially lethal substance is a threat to public health safety and can be subject to a federal investigation and prosecution. We must and will do all we can to save lives and protect our communities from this dangerous drug,” said U.S. Attorney King.

Lawrence Robinson is currently in federal custody and will be transferred to the custody of the federal Bureau of Prisons.

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