CHARLOTTE, N.C. — A federal jury convicted a Stallings man on drug trafficking charges after authorities say he sold a significant amount of drugs throughout Mecklenburg and Gaston Counties.
Jonathan Otuel, 36, was convicted on the following charges:
- Conspiracy to traffic methamphetamine
- Possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine
- Possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime
Officials say Otuel previously pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
Jonathan Otuel
According to court documents, trial evidence, and witness testimony, on November 19, 2019, officers with the Pineville Police Department responded to a call for service at a hotel room, where they located Otuel and three other individuals. Officers also located methamphetamine. Trial evidence established that a search warrant for the hotel room was issued. During the search, law enforcement recovered multiple bags of methamphetamine and a firearm.
Law enforcement also recovered from the hotel parking lot an additional firearm, which the defendant had thrown over the balcony. Over the course of the investigation, law enforcement determined that Otuel was responsible for trafficking significant amounts of methamphetamine in Mecklenburg and Gaston Counties.
Otuel remains in federal custody. A sentencing date has not been set. The charges of conspiracy to traffic methamphetamine, possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime each carry a statutory maximum sentence of life in prison. The charge of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon carries a maximum sentence of ten years in prison. A sentencing date has not been set.
This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
