Robeson County man pleads guilty to trafficking drugs from Mexico, sentenced to prison

RALEIGH, N.C. (WMBF) - A Robeson County man will spend over two decades behind bars after being pleading guilty in a drug trafficking case.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office said Antonio Locklear, of Maxton, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, cocaine and heroin as well as possession of methamphetamine, cocaine and heroin with intent to distribute.

“The sentencing of Locklear will have a huge positive impact within the Prospect community of Robeson County and beyond,” said Robeson County Sheriff Burnis Wilkins. “The punishment Locklear received should be an eye opener to others that continue to wreak havoc on our county. Thank you to the U.S. Attorney’s Office and ATF for the partnership as we continue to try and make our county safer.”

Information presented in court was identified during a multi-year investigation into people from Robeson County who were trafficking controlled substances from Mexico. Investigators said members of this organization would travel to Texas and cross the border to meet with suppliers and then transport kilograms of drugs across the border and ultimately back into Robeson County.

Deputies with the Robeson County Sheriff’s Office also found over 400 grams of cocaine while searching one of Locklear’s stash houses in March 2020, according to prosecutors.

Locklear was then arrested in October 2020 after deputies pulled over a rental vehicle used by him and two other people as they returned from Texas. Authorities found nearly three kilograms of cocaine, over 960 grams of heroin and nearly $60,000 in cash inside the spare tire of the vehicle.

Prosecutors said another Robeson County man connected to the operation was sentenced to over 20 years in prison earlier this year.

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