Two Sentenced in North Carolina Federal Drug Case Following Guilty Pleas
Jason Mills and Stephanie Hope Lindsey were sentenced in federal court after pleading guilty to federal drug charges.
3 reports on this incident · first at Aug 16, 2026, 7:49 a.m. ET
This case is not concluded. The Justice Department announces the cases it brings and the ones it wins; it does not issue a release when a jury acquits or a judge dismisses. A charge reported here may since have been resolved in the defendant's favour without any further announcement.
Earlier reports
Aug 16, 2026, 7:52 a.m. ET
Jason Mills and Stephanie Hope Lindsey Sentenced in North Carolina Federal Drug Case
According to official court records from the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Western District of North Carolina announced on August 14, 2026, Jason Mills, 47, of Hendersonville, North Carolina, and Stephanie Hope Lindsey, 40, of East Flat Rock, North Carolina, have been sentenced in federal court for drug trafficking.
Mills was sentenced to 135 months in prison followed by five years of supervised release after pleading guilty to distribution of fentanyl and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl. Lindsey was ordered to serve 46 months in prison and three years of supervised release after pleading guilty to distribution of fentanyl. Court records state that Mills was on federal probation for a federal cocaine trafficking conviction in Florida when he reoffended, and his 10-year sentence will run at the expiration of his federal probation sentence for violating his probation.
Official records show that law enforcement investigated Mills for supplying fentanyl and methamphetamine in Henderson and Buncombe Counties, with Lindsey involved in the drug trafficking activities. Between January and February 2024, the two sold fentanyl and methamphetamine to an individual cooperating with law enforcement. On February 12, 2024, investigators executed a search warrant at Mills's residence in Asheville, seizing 86.38 grams of fentanyl, 87 grams of methamphetamine, a digital scale, and $2,000 in U.S. currency. A search of Mills's vehicle on the same day located two magnetic boxes in the engine compartment containing 69 multi-colored pills containing methamphetamine, alongside two baggies containing fentanyl and methamphetamine. Both defendants are in federal custody and will be transferred to the custody of the Federal Bureau of Prisons.
Aug 16, 2026, 7:49 a.m. ETFirst report
Two Sentenced in North Carolina Federal Drug Trafficking Case
On August 14, 2026, two fentanyl and methamphetamine traffickers were sentenced in federal district court, according to court records announced by U.S. Attorney Russ Ferguson of the Western District of North Carolina. Jason Mills, 47, of Hendersonville, North Carolina, was sentenced to 135 months in prison followed by five years of supervised release after pleading guilty to distribution of fentanyl and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl. Stephanie Hope Lindsey, 40, of East Flat Rock, North Carolina, was sentenced to 46 months in prison and three years of supervised release after pleading guilty to distribution of fentanyl. The developing case remains open as both defendants are currently in federal custody awaiting transfer to the Federal Bureau of Prisons.
According to court records, Mills was on federal probation for a federal cocaine trafficking conviction in Florida when he reoffended. His 10-year sentence will run at the expiration of his federal probation sentence for violating his probation. Official records state that law enforcement investigated Mills for supplying fentanyl and methamphetamine in Henderson and Buncombe Counties, with Lindsey involved in the drug trafficking activities. Between January and February 2024, the two were involved in multiple drug transactions with an individual cooperating with law enforcement.
On February 12, 2024, investigators executed a search warrant at Mills's residence in Asheville, seizing 86.38 grams of fentanyl, 87 grams of methamphetamine, a digital scale, and $2,000 in U.S. currency, according to court documents. On the same day, law enforcement searched Mills's vehicle and found two magnetic boxes in the engine compartment containing 69 multi-colored pills containing methamphetamine, alongside two baggies containing fentanyl and methamphetamine. Speaking on the sentences, U.S. Attorney Russ Ferguson said, "Fentanyl is a highly addictive and deadly drug, and today’s sentences reflect our commitment to protecting lives and combating this scourge across communities in the western district."
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- Version 116 Aug 2026, 11:52current
First published.
- Version 116 Aug 2026, 11:49current
First published.
- Version 116 Aug 2026, 11:54current
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