32-year-old Terry Kenneth Ross, Jr. of Conover will serve an active prison sentence of nearly 11-to-14 years following his conviction on multiple drug charges and other crimes. He was also sentenced as an habitual felon. The Honorable Gregory R. Hayes, Superior Court Judge from Catawba County, imposed the terms of the plea arrangement after Ross entered his guilty plea during Catawba County Superior Court last Wednesday (September 20).

Ross pleaded guilty to trafficking methamphetamine by possession, trafficking meth by transport, conspiracy to traffic meth (two counts), possession with intent to manufacture, sell, and deliver meth, and maintaining a vehicle, dwelling, or place for a controlled substance. In addition, he pleaded to first-degree burglary and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. The offenses took place from October 2021 to January 2022. In addition to the prison term, Ross also will be required to pay four mandatory fines of $100,000 for each of the trafficking offenses.

The defendant’s habitual felon status is the result of prior felony convictions for conspiracy to deliver marijuana in May 2013 in Wilkes County, the sale or delivery of marijuana in December 2014 in Alexander County, and possession with intent to manufacture, sell, and deliver marijuana in May 2018 in Alexander County.

The defendant will serve his period of incarceration in the custody of the North Carolina Division of Adult Corrections. The sentence will run consecutively to the prison term Ross already is serving.

The cases were investigated by the Catawba County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant District Attorneys Howard Wellons and Jonathan Greer handled the prosecution for the state with aid from Legal Assistant Britnee Ulsamer.