Michael Wayne Noblitt, Methamphetamine Trafficking, North Carolina 2022

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ASHEVILLE, N.C. – Methamphetamine Trafficking Bust Yields 13+ Year Prison Sentence

Michael Wayne Noblitt, 43, of Marion, N.C., has been sentenced to 13+ years in prison for trafficking methamphetamine, announced Dena J. King, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina.

A thorough investigation led by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation, the Rutherford County Sheriff’s Office, and the Rutherfordton Police Department uncovered Noblitt’s involvement in a methamphetamine trafficking operation in Rutherford County.

Law enforcement learned that Noblitt was responsible for shooting at a dwelling, which he admitted to during a telephone conversation with the individual who reported him to law enforcement. On November 25, 2019, Noblitt was arrested on outstanding warrants, and law enforcement seized over 70 grams of methamphetamine and a Ruger .380 caliber pistol from his possession.

Noblitt pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine on June 6, 2022. He is currently in custody and will be transferred to the custody of the Bureau of Prisons upon designation of a federal facility.

In a statement, U.S. Attorney King thanked the agencies involved in the investigation, stating their work was crucial in bringing Noblitt to justice. Assistant U.S. Attorney John Pritchard of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Asheville prosecuted the case.

The sentence handed down to Noblitt serves as a strong reminder of the consequences of engaging in methamphetamine trafficking. As this case demonstrates, law enforcement agencies are committed to disrupting and dismantling these operations to keep communities safe.