DOJ Seal

Department of Justice

U.S. Attorney's Office
Western District of North Carolina

For Immediate Release

Wednesday, April 18, 2018
R. Andrew Murray
, United States Attorney
Contact: Lia Bantavani

Matthews, N.C. Man Sentenced to 16 1/2 Years for His Role in Union County Drug Trafficking Conpsiracy

CHARLOTTE, N.C. – United States Attorney R. Andrew Murray announced today that a Matthews, N.C. man was sentenced to 198 months in prison and five years of supervised release for his role in a drug trafficking conspiracy. Nestor Javier Martin Fernandez, 37, previously pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and cocaine, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.

According to filed court documents and court proceedings, on November 12, 2017, law enforcement conducted a traffic stop of the vehicle Fernandez was driving and arrested Fernandez on outstanding warrants. Over the course of the traffic stop, law enforcement recovered from Fernandez’s vehicle more than 2 kilograms of methamphetamine, cocaine, and two firearms.

In making today’s announcement, U.S. Attorney Murray thanked the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Monroe Police Department, and the Union County Sheriff’s Office for their investigation of the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer Dillon and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Erik Lindahl of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte prosecuted the case.

This prosecution is part of an extensive investigation by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF). OCDETF is a joint federal, state and local cooperative approach to combat drug trafficking and is the nation’s primary tool for disrupting and dismantling major drug trafficking organizations, targeting national and regional level drug trafficking organizations and coordinating the necessary law enforcement entities and resources to disrupt or dismantle the targeted criminal organization and seize their assets.

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Charlotte Field Division