Buncombe County -- June 8, 2026: A Barnardsville man has been sentenced for drug trafficking and robbery charges in Buncombe County Superior Court. John Wesley Burleson received a sentence of 10 to 13 years after pleading guilty to trafficking opium/heroin and robbery.
Buncombe County DA Office:
The charges stem from an armed robbery incident in Weaverville, located within Buncombe County. Burleson's guilty plea to both the serious drug trafficking charge and the violent felony of robbery led to the substantial prison term.
The sentence follows Burleson’s adjudication as a habitual felon under North Carolina law. A defendant qualifies as a habitual felon if they are charged with a new felony and have previously been convicted of three separate felonies. The prior offenses must be non-overlapping, meaning each offense must have been committed after the defendant was convicted of the earlier felony conviction, and the offenses must have occurred at different times. Habitual felon status triggers an enhanced sentencing level, elevating the punishment for an underlying felony to a higher felony class.
Burleson’s prior felony convictions included burglary, forgery and uttering of forged instruments, and possession of counterfeit instruments.
The conviction stems from an incident on February 26, 2025, at the CVS pharmacy located at 121 Monticello Road in Weaverville. Weaverville Police Department officers responded to the scene of a reported robbery at 5:48 p.m., discovering that the suspect had fled. Witnesses told investigators that Burleson brandished a 6-inch hunting knife and demanded narcotics while stating that staff had 60 seconds to comply. No injuries were reported among staff or customers at the pharmacy and many substances were later recovered by law enforcement.