Kristopher James Newman, 41, appeared in Buncombe County Superior Court where he entered a guilty plea before Superior Court Judge George Bell to charges of Trafficking Opium/Heroin and Habitual Felon.
As a direct result of the plea, Newman received a sentence of 76 to 104 months (approximately 6 years and 4 months to 8 years and 8 months) in the North Carolina Department of Adult Corrections.
Incident Details
The charges against Newman originate from an incident that occurred on June 2, 2025. Officers with the Asheville Police Department (APD) responded to a report of a shoplifting suspect concealing merchandise at a Walmart store located in Asheville.
Upon arrival, officers identified Newman as the individual involved. As officers spoke with him and began a pat-down search—standard procedure to recover potentially stolen property or other contraband—Newman attempted to flee the scene. APD officers quickly apprehended him. A subsequent search conducted by the police located 26 grams of Fentanyl on Newman’s person.
Habitual Felon Enhancement
The active prison term was significantly influenced by the North Carolina habitual felon sentencing enhancement. This enhancement is applied when an individual convicted of a new felony has three or more prior felony convictions, resulting in a substantially increased sentence.
At the time of sentencing, the court noted Newman’s three prior felony convictions, which were all obtained in McDowell County, N.C. His record includes:
Felony Assault with a Deadly Weapon on a Law Enforcement Officer
Felony Sale and/or Delivery of a Controlled Substance
Felony Larceny
The Buncombe County District Attorney’s office successfully prosecuted the case, securing the active sentence for Newman.
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