Sean Williams NC drug trial begins

ASHEVILLE, N.C. — The North Carolina drug trial for convicted predator and former Johnson City businessman Sean Williams began Monday. A courtroom hearing took place at 9 a.m. at the North Carolina western district court in Asheville. Ahead of the trial's first hearing, U.S. attorney Russ Ferguson filed a stipulation of fact and exhibit lists. One of the documents, signed by Williams himself, details laboratory results of the methamphetamine and cocaine seized by police. By signing the stipulation of fact, Williams and his public defender are not admitting Williams had the drugs in his possession but rather are agreeing that the lab results prove the drugs seized are the amounts and types listed in the document. "The Defendant is not admitting that the Defendant possessed the controlled substance at issue. To the contrary, the Defendant specifically denies the drug charges in this case. In other words, the Defendant merely agrees that the laboratory tests prove that the materials seized are the aforementioned drugs," the document says. In total the lab results found the seized drugs consisted of 423.66 grams (15.26 ounces) of methamphetamine, 44.54 grams (1.57 ounces) of cocaine, and 0.57 grams (0.02 ounces) of cocaine base, according to the stipulation of fact. Other, non-controlled substances were listed including 39.99 grams (1.41 ounces) of an undisclosed powder substance and 78 pill capsules. The exhibit lists submitted by the U.S. attorney indicate that officers found the methamphetamine in several glass jars, a plastic bag and a Mentos container. The exhibit list indicates the cocaine was seized from two other separate containers. In addition to photos of the seized drugs, The U.S. attorney's list of exhibits includes officer body camera footage from Williams' arrest and items listed as "Video Jail Call" dated for Aug. 28 and 29, 2023, less than two months before his October 2023 escape from custody. Williams has already been sentenced to 95 years in prison in 2024 for his Tennessee child pornography and escaping custody charges. The trial for his North Carolina child pornography charges, which has been pushed back several times, has been set for May 4. Williams is also accused of raping more than 60 women and children years before federal charges.