New Hanover County man sentenced to 13 years for fentanyl trafficking

WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — A New Hanover County jury has found a Wilmington man guilty of trafficking opioids following a three-day trial.

 38-year-old Rashad Jemel Jacobs was sentenced to a minimum of 13 years in prison.

The conviction stems from a New Hanover County Sheriff’s Office investigation that began in August 2024. Detectives said they saw Jacobs conducting multiple fentanyl sales during the investigation.

According to investigators, detectives witnessed a drug transaction involving Jacobs on Sept. 18, 2024. Laboratory testing and expert testimony later confirmed the substance seized during the investigation was more than four grams of a fentanyl mixture.

During the sentencing hearing, prosecutors pointed to Jacobs’ criminal history, which includes three previous convictions for possession with intent to sell or deliver controlled substances. Officials say Jacobs was also on active probation for a firearms-related offense at the time of the investigation.