News

Meth dealer sent to prison

By Bill Moss, Published: November 21, 2017

A Hendersonville man was sentenced to 14 years in prison after he was convicted of trafficking in methamphetamine, District Attorney Greg Newman announced.

Judge Tommy Davis sentenced Alvin Miller of 307 Substation Street in Hendersonville during a recent term of Superior Court in Henderson County. The sentence was enhanced based on three prior felony drug convictions in Florida, Georgia and North Carolina. Judge Davis also imposed a $50,000 fine.

On Feb. 9, Miller’s probation officer and members of Henderson County’s Direct Enforcement Team (DET) performed an unannounced search of Miller’s home. DET officers located at least 35 grams of methamphetamine on Miller’s person. Also, Miller had 3 wallets in different pockets with $1,328 in cash. Inside the defendant’s bedroom, the officers discovered digital scales, plastic bags, glass pipes, syringes, as well as pills and weight scale calibrators. Miller was immediately arrested and taken to the Henderson County jail.

Once in custody, Miller admitted to officers that he was a consumer of methamphetamine and had been selling the illegal drug “on and off for about 10 years.” Miller said that he obtained an ounce every other day to sell.

Following an evidentiary hearing where Miller’s lawyer unsuccessfully challenged the legality of the search, Miller plead guilty and was sentenced. “Miller is the kind of person that needs to be out of our community," Newman said. "Miller and people like him who sell methamphetamine are only concerned about the money and have no regard for the ruined lives resulting from their actions. I have no patience for those supplying drugs in our area."

In addition to Miller, the following people were convicted in Henderson County Superior Court within the last two weeks:

-- Edward Dornan, 125 Greenfield Lane, Hendersonville, 57 months active for Third Degree Exploitation of a Minor (Possession of Child Pornography);

-- Alexis Alvarez, 806 7th Avenue East, Hendersonville, 17 months active for Breaking and Entering and Larceny of a Firearm;

-- Scott Brown, 908 Magnolia Spring Place, Hendersonville, 150 days active for Assault;

-- Philip Estes, 278 Duncan Creek Road, Fletcher, 60 months active for Breaking and Entering and Larceny;

-- Karina Ferrera, 1093 Holly Circle, Forest Park, GA, 17 months active for Possession with the Intent to Sell or Deliver Methamphetamine;

-- Henry Hutchinson, no known address, 105 months active for Attempted Common Law Robbery;

-- Edward Russell, 32 Knox Road, Ridgecrest, NC, 136 months active for Larceny, Obtaining Property by a False Pretense, Habitual Felon;

-- Courtney Smith, 110 London Berry Lane, Lake Lure, NC, 99 months active for Possession with the Intent to Sell of Deliver Methamphetamine and Habitual Felon;

-- John Stinson, 39 Logan Lane, Fletcher, NC, 19 months active for Conspiracy to Commit Common Law Robbery and Resisting a Police Officer;

-- Jessica Vasquez, 742 N. Grove Street, Hendersonville 19 months active for Felony Larceny.

In Polk County, Dan Brady, of 567 Will Green Road, Tryon, was sentenced to five years in prison active for taking indecent liberties with a minor.