Asheville -- Ocober 9, 2026: An Asheville man has received a decade-long federal prison sentence for his involvement in distributing dangerous drugs and illegally possessing firearms in the Greater Asheville Area. Nazae Dion Maewether, 24, was sentenced on October 6, 2026, to 10 years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release.
Maewether pleaded guilty in May 2026 to charges of distributing fentanyl, distributing methamphetamine, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of North Carolina detailed that between August and November 2025, Maewether sold an undercover agent more than 231 grams of fentanyl, over 59 grams of methamphetamine, and two firearms.
Law enforcement arrested Maewether on November 5, 2025, after stopping his vehicle. A subsequent search of the vehicle uncovered more than 73 grams of fentanyl, 14 grams of cocaine, and $1,040 in cash. At the time of these offenses, Maewether was already on probation for 2024 state convictions, which included possession with intent to manufacture, sell or deliver cocaine; common-law robbery; and assault with a deadly weapon inflicting serious injury.
U.S. Attorney Russ Ferguson commented on the sentencing, stating that Maewether “was given a second chance but instead chose to sell fentanyl, methamphetamine, and guns.” Ferguson emphasized the broader message of the sentence for local public safety, adding that it “sends the message that putting dangerous drugs and firearms on our streets comes at a price.”
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Hess of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Asheville, underscoring efforts to deter similar criminal activity and protect the community from the threats of fentanyl, methamphetamine, and illegal firearms.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.