New Bern Habitual Felon Charlie Swindell Sentenced to Over a Decade in Prison
A 40-year-old man from New Bern will spend the next 10 to 14 years behind bars after pleading guilty to multiple drug charges and tampering with evidence.
Charlie Henry Swindell was sentenced to 128–166 months in the North Carolina Department of Adult Corrections after pleading guilty in Craven County Criminal Superior Court. His charges include two counts of Possession of Methamphetamine, one count of Possession of Heroin, and one count of Altering Criminal Evidence. Swindell also admitted to his Habitual Felon status, significantly increasing his sentencing range.
According to District Attorney Scott Thomas and Craven County Sheriff Chip Hughes, the conviction stems from two separate criminal incidents.
In the first incident, Swindell was suspected in a larceny and break-in at a job site in Gracie Farms Mobile Home Park. While still on probation, officers conducted a search at his home, finding him asleep in his car next to what appeared to be a Glock 19 handgun—later identified as a replica. A search revealed plastic bags containing white powder, later confirmed by the State Crime Lab to include:
2.32 grams of heroin
0.11 grams of oxycodone
20.25 grams of methamphetamine
In a second incident, investigators received tips about Swindell selling narcotics. During a traffic stop—initiated after traffic violations—officers detected marijuana and saw Swindell attempt to swallow three plastic bags, later confirmed to contain marijuana and meth. He also resisted officers during the arrest.
Authorities seized:
The drug-filled bags
$224 in cash
Two cell phones
Swindell’s criminal history and habitual felon status ultimately led to his extended sentence.
