Buncombe County Man Sentenced 7½ to 10 Years for Drug, Gun Crimes

Russell Travis Toothman was sentenced after pleading guilty to conspiracy to traffic opium or heroin, trafficking methamphetamine, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, the Buncombe County District Attorney’s Office said in a press release. Superior Court Judge Jacqueline Grant imposed a minimum term of 90 months and a maximum term of 120 months in prison and ordered a $100,000 fine.

Assistant District Attorney Justin Steen prosecuted the case. Prosecutors said the sentence reflects North Carolina’s mandatory sentencing guidelines for drug trafficking.

Investigators with the Buncombe County Sheriff’s Office and its Illegal Gun Reduction and Narcotics Taskforce, known as IGRANT, led the investigation. Prosecutors described two law enforcement actions in 2024 that supplied evidence for the charges. On May 15, officers stopped a vehicle in which Toothman was a passenger and recovered four grams of fentanyl and a Smith & Wesson 9mm handgun. On Sept. 5, agents executed a search warrant at a residence tied to Toothman’s operations and discovered 110 grams of fentanyl and 28 grams of methamphetamine.

Law enforcement has characterized the case as part of a broader trafficking network. The Buncombe County Sheriff’s Office said “this drug trafficking organization had numerous ties to other jurisdictions throughout our region.” Sheriff Quentin Miller added, “The Buncombe County Sheriff’s Office will continue to work to dismantle high-level drug trafficking operations in our community.”

Local authorities also reported assistance from multiple agencies, including federal partners in Asheville, as they investigated the case. Prosecutors and the sheriff’s office framed the prosecution as an example of coordinated local and federal enforcement targeting drug distribution and illegal firearms possession.

For Buncombe County residents, the case underscores two ongoing public-safety priorities: disrupting supply lines for fentanyl and methamphetamine, and removing firearms from individuals prohibited from possession. The quantities seized in the two 2024 actions - 4 grams and 110 grams of fentanyl, plus 28 grams of methamphetamine and a 9mm handgun - were cited by prosecutors when seeking the mandatory sentencing range.

The district attorney’s office said the sentence was handed down following Toothman’s guilty plea. Authorities signaled continued investigative work into related trafficking ties; readers can expect further law-enforcement updates as prosecutors and the sheriff’s office pursue related leads and coordinate with regional partners.