NEWTON, N.C. (WHKY) – A Conover man will spend six to eight years in prison after pleading guilty to trafficking fentanyl in Catawba County Superior Court.

42-year-old Nathan Carl Adams was sentenced Monday, July 13, by Superior Court Judge Karen Eady-Williams. In addition to the prison term, Adams was ordered to pay the mandatory $50,000 fine required for the offense.

The case began on August 14, 2023, when Catawba County Sheriff’s deputies stopped Adams for speeding on N.C. 16 in Maiden. A K-9 unit alerted to the presence of narcotics, and a search of the vehicle uncovered a plastic bag containing suspected drugs hidden behind the driver’s back.

Investigators said Adams admitted he had traveled to Charlotte to obtain fentanyl with the intent of selling it to friends to earn money to pay bills. Testing by the State Crime Lab confirmed the drugs were a trafficking amount of fentanyl.

The investigation was led by Catawba County Sheriff’s Office investigator Valerie Blasdel. Assistant District Attorney Kyle Smith prosecuted the case with assistance from Legal Assistant Amy Bishoff.