Ronald Lee Peak, a 45-year-old resident of Hendersonville, North Carolina, has been sentenced to 188 months in federal prison followed by four years of supervised release for distributing methamphetamine. The announcement was made by Russ Ferguson, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina.
Jae W. Chung, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Atlanta Field Division of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), and Alicia Jones, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Charlotte Field Division, joined Ferguson in making the announcement.
Court records reveal that law enforcement officials discovered Peak’s involvement in distributing firearms and methamphetamine around Asheville and Hendersonville. A confidential informant (CI) was used to purchase firearms and methamphetamine from Peak on two occasions between July and August 2022. During these transactions, Peak sold a 9mm pistol with an obliterated serial number and 36.82 grams of methamphetamine in Asheville. He also sold 27.175 grams of methamphetamine and a .32 caliber pistol during another transaction.
Peak pleaded guilty to distribution of methamphetamine on August 16, 2024. Due to prior state convictions, he qualified as a career offender for an increased sentence. After completing his state prison sentence, Peak will be transferred to the custody of the Federal Bureau of Prisons.
U.S. Attorney Ferguson expressed gratitude towards several agencies for their role in investigating the case: “I want to thank the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Buncombe County Sheriff’s Office, the Henderson County Sheriff’s Office, and the Asheville Police Department.”
Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher S. Hess from Asheville handled the prosecution.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative aimed at combating illegal immigration and dismantling cartels and transnational criminal organizations while protecting communities from violent crime perpetrators.
