A Clinton man will serve at least two years in prison for drug trafficking and his wife placed on probation following guilty pleas entered in Sampson County Superior Court.
Robbie Harrison Warren, 50, and Michelle Mason Warren, 47, both of 404 Carolina Ave., Clinton, each pleaded guilty on March 29 in the drug case.
They were arrested on drug trafficking charges following a multi-agency investigation by Sampson County Sheriff’s Special Investigation Division, whose agents seized two separate 10-pound packages of marijuana from Clinton residences Oct. 22, 2015 to go along with another 6 pounds and nearly $70,000 in cash from the couple’s home.
As part of the plea agreements, Robbie Warren pleaded guilty to trafficking in marijuana and Michelle Warren pleaded to maintaining a vehicle, dwelling or place for a controlled substance, both felony convictions. Robbie Warren received an active sentence of 25-39 months in the N.C. Department of Corrections. Michelle Warren was given a suspended sentence and placed on 6-17 months probation.
Assistant District Attorney Arneatha Gillis prosecuted the case for the state. She cited the “level of culpability” for the reason why Robbie Warren’s sentence was a lengthier, active punishment.
According to information released at the time of their arrests, SID agents were informed of a package at an address on Barker Road and stopped Robbie Warren’s vehicle at about 1 p.m. that day as he pulled away from the home, the 10-pound marijuana package subsequently found in his possession, authorities said.
Investigation led agents to another home on Rowan Road, reportedly Warren’s next stop. There, another 10-pound package was seized. A resident of the home was subsequently charged with simple possession of marijuana.
Ultimately, a search warrant was obtained for the Warrens’ Carolina Avenue home, where $68,000 in cash was seized along with 6 more pounds of marijuana, bringing the total to 26 pounds seized.
“He’s been on our radar,” the SID head stated at the time of Robbie Warren’s arrest. “Anyone who’s in possession of 26 pounds of marijuana is a supplier. That’s a lot of drugs that’s not hitting the streets.”
