Joshua Jezreel Duncan was given an active prison sentence of nine to 12 years following his conviction for multiple drug offenses during Catawba County Superior Court on Tuesday, March 29, 2022.
The Honorable J. Thomas Davis, Superior Court Judge from Rutherford County, imposed the term of incarceration for Duncan after he pleaded guilty as charged to multiple offenses.
The case was set to go to trial on Tuesday after motions were heard on Monday, but the defendant opted instead to enter a guilty plea before it started.
Duncan, 32, of Newton, pleaded guilty to trafficking heroin by possession and transportation, maintaining a dwelling for controlled substance, possession with intent to manufacture, sell and deliver cocaine, and possession of a firearm by felon.
He also was assessed a mandatory fine of $100,000 for the trafficking charge.
The defendant will serve his prison term in the custody of the North Carolina Division of Adult Corrections.
Officers with Newton Police Department were executing a search warrant at a residence on July 26, 2019. When they made entry to the home, Duncan threw two bags of a substance out a door.
They located an unopened third bag along with a powdery substance on a bedside table. They also found a loaded handgun and various documents in the residence that had the defendant’s name on them.
The substances in the bags were sent to the State Crime Lab for analysis. Results showed that two of them were heroin with a combined weight of more than 14 grams. The third bag tested positive for cocaine.
Duncan also had a prior felony conviction for trafficking opium by sell in 2012 from Lincoln County.
The case was investigated by the narcotics division of Newton Police Department. Assistant District Attorney Jessica Phillips handled prosecution for the State.
CONTACT: Nathan Key
Phone: 828-695-6193
Email: Nathan.D.Key@nccourts.org