Monroe Methamphetamine Trafficker Is Sentenced To More Than 11 Years In Prison

CHARLOTTE, N.C. - Nicki Wayne Parker, 36, of Monroe, N.C. was sentenced today to 135 months in prison followed by five years of supervised release for trafficking methamphetamine, announced Dena J. King, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina.

Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Charlotte Field Division, and Sheriff Eddie Cathey of the Union County Sheriff's Office, join U.S. Attorney King in making today's announcement.

According to court documents and the sentencing hearing, in December 2022, ATF agents initiated an investigation into Parker for suspected distribution of methamphetamine in and around Union County. During the investigation, Parker participated in the distribution of methamphetamine to an individual cooperating with law enforcement. In January 2023, law enforcement executed a search warrant at a residence in Monroe, N.C., where Parker was residing. Law enforcement found a pound of methamphetamine hidden in a cardboard box in the garage of the residence, and a pistol located inside a toolbox. At the time, Parker was on federal supervised release following a conviction in the Western District of North Carolina for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.

On November 28, 2023, Parker pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. Parker remains in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending placement by the federal Bureau of Prisons.

This prosecution is the result of a joint investigation by the ATF and the Union County Sheriff's Office.

Special Assistant U.S. Attorney (SAUSA) William Wiseman of the U.S. Attorney's Office in Charlotte prosecuted the case. Mr. Wiseman is a state prosecutor with the office of the 26^th Prosecutorial District and was assigned by District Attorney Spencer Merriweather to serve as a SAUSA with the U.S. Attorney's Office in Charlotte. Mr. Wiseman is sworn in both state and federal courts. The SAUSA position is a reflection of the partnership between the office of the 26^th Prosecutorial District and the United States Attorney's Office.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.