Georgia man pleads guilty to Wilmington methamphetamine trafficking
WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — A 42-year-old Georgia man pled guilty today in New Hanover County Superior Court to one county of trafficking in methamphetamine by possession.
David Woodhall was sentenced by Honorable Judge Stanley Carmical to a minimum sentence of 7.5 years (90 months) with a maximum sentence of 10 years (120 months) in the North Carolina Department of Adult Correction.
Judge Carmical also imposed the statutorily mandated drug trafficking fine of $100,000.
On November 17, 2021, deputies from the New Hanover County Sheriff’s Office conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle for speeding on Martin Luther King, Jr. Parkway. The defendant was a passenger in the vehicle. When approaching the vehicle, deputies noticed Woodhall making erratic movements in the passenger seat and appearing very nervous.
Deputies utilized K9 Ellie to conduct an exterior sniff of the vehicle. K9 Ellie alerted to the presence of narcotics being in the vehicle. A probable cause search of the vehicle revealed a suitcase in the back seat. Inside the suitcase was 10 individually packaged gallon sized plastic bags containing approximately 22 pounds of methamphetamine.
Woodhall then admitted these narcotics were his and that he was transporting the methamphetamine from Georgia to Wilmington, NC.
“A massive quantity of narcotics was taken off the streets of Wilmington thanks to the superb investigatory perceptions and instincts of deputies from the New Hanover County Sheriff’s Office in this case,” Assistant District Attorney Ashton Herring said.
“Our office will continue to focus and prioritize the prosecution of individuals who transport large amounts of narcotics into New Hanover County for distribution,” District Attorney Ben David said.
