Charlotte man sentenced to 25 years on drug trafficking charges

CHARLOTTE — A man from Charlotte will spend at least the next 25 years behind bars after being convicted of drug trafficking on April 11.

After a three-day trial, Carlton Deprece Thomas was sentenced on fentanyl possession, fentanyl trafficking, methamphetamine possession, and methamphetamine trafficking charges by Judge David A. Phillips, who also ordered him to pay more than $500,000 in fines.

Troopers with the North Carolina State Highway Patrol tried to pull over Thomas for speeding on January 10, 2023.

Officials say Thomas didn’t stop and led them on a 12-mile chase, where he reached a top speed of more than 125 mph.

Trooper’s dash cameras show Thomas weaving in and out of traffic; he also had a revoked driver’s license.

NCSHP tried to end the chase using ‘stop sticks’ to deflate Thomas’ tires, and they say he began throwing bags of white powder out of the window as the chase was coming to an end.

After taking Thomas into custody, troopers and the Gastonia Police Department searched his car, where they found bags that they believed were drugs. One of the bags found under the driver’s side floor was confirmed to be more than 30 grams of a methamphetamine and fentanyl mixture.

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