A Philadelphia man was handed a sentence of 12 ½ years in prison for his role in trafficking fentanyl and methamphetamine. The U.S. Attorney's Office for the Western District of North Carolina stated that Jomeir Zakied McCutchen, 27, will also face five years of supervised release following his incarceration. This announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Dena J. King.
Details revealed in court documents and during the sentencing describe a scene from October 2022, where an officer observed McCutchen engaging in what appeared to be a drug deal at a Charlotte gas station. The plot thickened as McCutchen tried to evade capture, initially escaping with a juvenile in a white SUV, only to be apprehended the following day after attempting to quickly distance himself from another vehicle associated with yet more illicit substances. According to the U.S. Attorney's Office, authorities were able to seize over 12 grams of fentanyl and later over 83 grams of methamphetamine linked to McCutchen.
In imposing the sentence, U.S. District Court Judge Kenneth D. Bell took note of McCutchen's history, mentioning that "prior convictions and probation from other courts had not deterred the defendant." McCutchen's guilty plea, entered on February 21 covered charges for possession with intent to distribute both fentanyl and methamphetamine, as per U.S. Attorney's Office.
Special thanks were given by U.S. Attorney King to the ATF and CMPD for their roles in investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert J. Gleason was the one to prosecute the case. McCutchen, who is currently held in federal custody, will be transferred to the Federal Bureau of Prisons after a facility is designated for him. The case forms part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), an initiative aiming to reduce violent crime and gun violence.
