Jonathan Lynn Sorrels, 35, of Conover, will serve an active prison sentence of nearly six to eight years following his conviction for trafficking opiates during Catawba County Superior Court on Wednesday, February 22, 2023.
The Honorable Nathaniel J. Poovey, Superior Court Judge from Catawba County, imposed the terms of the plea arrangement after Sorrels entered his guilty plea.
The defendant will serve his period of incarceration in the custody of the North Carolina Division of Adult Corrections. In addition, he is required to pay a mandatory fine of $50,000.
The offense occurred on November 1, 2021, during a traffic stop initiated by deputies with the Catawba County Sheriff’s Office. During the license and registration check, a K-9 unit did a walk around the vehicle and alerted to the presence of drugs.
During a search, Sorrels dropped two clear bags containing a white powdery substance to the ground that were seized by deputies.
The substance was sent to the State Crime Lab for testing, and results indicated it to be fentanyl.
The case was investigated by Sam Helms of the Catawba County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant District Attorney Nancy Lee handled prosecution for the State.