Chapel Hill Man Sentenced for Involvement in Multi-State Drug Trafficking Organization

WINSTON-SALEM – A Chapel Hill man was sentenced today to 188 months in prison for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine, announced United States Attorney Sandra J. Hairston.

According to court documents, ABEL GASPAR, JR., age 35, was charged with one count of conspiracy to commit drug trafficking along with one co-defendant after both admitted their involvement in trafficking drugs across state lines and sales of multiple quantities of methamphetamine to undercover officers. In January of 2022, a confidential source (CS) contacted the Sanford Police Department officers to provide information about a drug dealer involved in the sale of cocaine and methamphetamine. At the time of the interaction, the drug dealer was already known to officers. Officers then arranged a meeting between the CS and the dealer wherein GASPAR was seen leaving a package containing 159 grams of methamphetamine for the CS in exchange for $1,800. On February 15, 2022, the CS informed the dealer of another potential client and arranged the sale of 439 grams of methamphetamine between the dealer and an undercover officer in Raleigh for $3,500.

On February 25, 2022, a Guilford County Sheriff’s Office Deputy pulled over GASPAR for erratic driving and attempted to perform a field sobriety test as a result of GASPAR’s driving. GASPAR briefly struggled with the deputy and fled on foot. A deputy then searched GASPAR’s car and located multiple plastic bags containing a total of 2,036 grams of methamphetamine, a firearm, 12 grams of marihuana, and a large amount of cash. In interviews with investigators, GASPAR later revealed his supplier to be an individual from Atlanta.

GASPAR was sentenced today to a 188-month term of imprisonment by the Honorable Loretta C. Biggs, United States District Judge in the United States District Court for the Middle District of North Carolina. In addition to prison time, GASPAR was ordered to serve a five-year term of supervised release and to pay a special assessment of $100.00. GASPAR’s co-defendant is set for sentencing on June 2, 2023.

This prosecution was brought as a part of the Department of Justice’s Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s drug supply reduction strategy. OCDETF was established in 1982 to conduct comprehensive, multilevel attacks on major drug trafficking and money laundering organizations. Today, OCDETF combines the resources and expertise of its member federal agencies in cooperation with state and local law enforcement. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt, and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking and money laundering organizations and those primarily responsible for the nation’s drug supply.

This case was investigated by Drug Enforcement Agency, the North Carolina State Bureau Investigation, the Guilford County Sheriff’s Office, and the Sanford Police Department, and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jake Pryor.

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