Western NC Meth Dealer to spend 56 to 70 years in prison

The following press release has been issued by the Office of Ashley Welch, District Attorney.

At the conclusion of a 4 day jury trial this week in Macon County Superior Court, Adam Joshua Sanders, 30, of Franklin was convicted of Trafficking in Methamphetamine by Possession, Trafficking in Methamphetamine by Transportation, and Conspiracy to Traffic in Methamphetamine. He was sentenced Thursday to a maximum of 70 and a half years in prison, and he will serve at least 56 years before he is eligible for release.  This case was the first case for trial during a three week special narcotics terms in Macon County Superior Court that began on Monday and will continue for the next two weeks.

The case was tried by District Attorney Ashley Welch and Assistant District Attorney Eric Bellas. The Honorable Bill Coward was the presiding and sentencing judge. The case was investigated by the Macon County Sheriff’s Office.  Adam Sanders was the co-defendant to Brodie Hamilton who was previously tried and convicted of the same charges in January 2017 of this year in Macon County.  

The evidence presented by the District Attorney’s Office proved that Mr. Sanders was a known methamphetamine dealer in Macon County with a customer base from several surrounding western mountain counties including Jackson and Swain counties. He dealt methamphetamine in Macon County and in the residence of Brodie Hamilton in Macon County over a period of time.  On June 19, 2015, Mr. Hamilton and Mr. Sanders sent two young  methamphetamine addicts to the Atlanta area to purchase over two pounds of crystal methamphetamine. That evening as a result of an ongoing narcotics investigation several Macon County Sheriff’s officers including Lieutenant Charles Moody, Detective Matthew Breedlove,  First Sergeant Clay Bryson, Detective David Blanton and Deputy Josh Stewart, intercepted a vehicle in Macon County that contained over two pounds of crystal methamphetamine that was being delivered to Mr. Hamilton. Mr. Adam Sanders arrived to pick up the package of  methamphetamine for Mr. Hamilton.  Mr. Sanders was immediately arrested.  

“This conviction keeps another dangerous methamphetamine dealer off the streets for essentially the rest of his life and sends a strong message to the community that the District Attorney’s Office places the highest priority on protecting our community from the plague and poison that is methamphetamine. I commend all of the dedicated professionals in law enforcement who partner with the District Attorney’s Office to make our communities a safer place to live.  Methamphetamine ruins lives and Adam Sanders and Brodie Hamilton are responsible for ruining countless lives in our community. Both convictions  and sentences ensure that they will not be able to continue their methamphetamine business ever again.”