GREENSBORO, N.C. - Concord resident was sentenced on July 16, 2019, in federal court in Greensboro, announced United States Attorney Matthew G.T. Martin of the Middle District of North Carolina.
The Honorable Catherine C. Eagles sentenced Eddy Antonio PERALTA, 35, of Concord, North Carolina, to a 165 month term of imprisonment on charges of possession with intent to distribute more than 500 grams of methamphetamine. In addition to 165 months imprisonment, PERALTA was ordered to serve five years of supervised release after completing his sentence. PERALTA pleaded guilty in January 2019.
In October 2017, officers with the Rowan County Sheriff’s Office received information that a black truck could be located at a garage near Blackwelder Baptist Church, and that the individual driving the truck was in possession of a quantity of methamphetamine. Surveillance was established near the garage, and a black Nissan Frontier truck was observed in the parking lot. A traffic stop was conducted as the vehicle left the parking lot. The officer recognized the driver as PERALTA based upon previous interactions with him, and knew that PERALTA did not have a valid driver’s license. As the officer processed the traffic offense, a second officer arrived and deployed his certified drug detection canine in order to conduct a free air sniff around the exterior of the Nissan Frontier. The canine gave a positive alert for the presence of the odor of narcotics, and a subsequent search of the vehicle resulted in the discovery of approximately 80 grams of a substance suspected to be crystal methamphetamine. PERALTA admitted that he had a pound of methamphetamine stored in a vehicle at his residence in Concord. Officers conducted a consent search at PERALTA’s home and located a large quantity of methamphetamine inside a disabled gray Honda. Laboratory analysis confirmed that the substance discovered inside the Honda was methamphetamine, with a total weight of 895 grams.
Prior to this arrest, PERALTA had been convicted of felony sexual assault, felony possession of cocaine, and possession of a firearm by a felon.
The case was investigated by the Rowan County Sheriff’s Office, Concord Police Department, and Homeland Security Investigations. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Terry M. Meinecke.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
