ASHEVILLE, N.C. (828newsNOW) — Yesterday, Emily Normeka Nesby, 46, was found guilty by a Buncombe County jury of trafficking in cocaine by possession, Buncombe County District Attorney Todd Williams announced.

The Arden woman was sentenced to 175-222 months in state prison and issued a statutory $250,000 fine by Presiding Superior Court Judge Alan Z. Thornburg at the conclusion of a three-day trial.

The conviction stemmed from an April 5, 2025, joint investigation into Nesby by federal, local and state investigators.

“In the weeks before April 4, 2025, agents with the [N.C. State Bureau of Investigation] and the federal Drug Enforcement Administration received information that Emily Nesby was involved in a drug trafficking organization operating out of the Atlanta area,” the Buncombe County DA’s Office said in a press release. “Reports indicated Nesby was moving kilogram quantities of cocaine from Atlanta to parts of western North Carolina, including Asheville.”

The SBI began an investigation into Nesby, which included surveillance of a residence suspected to house cocaine and a black Chevrolet Traverse that the suspect drove between Atlanta and N.C.

Then, on the evening of April 4, investigators learned that the vehicle was returning to N.C. from a trip to Atlanta.

“SBI agents and Henderson County Sheriff’s Office deputies executed a search at Nesby’s residence to question her regarding her involvement in the trafficking operation,” the Buncombe County DA’s Office said. “Upon arrival, officers detected a strong odor of marijuana at the doorway. Nesby admitted officers to the home, acknowledged the presence of marijuana, and produced it for the officers.”

A subsequent search returned 751 grams, or 1.6 pounds, of cocaine, with an estimated street value of $22,000. DEA chemical analysis confirmed the substance to be cocaine.

“This conviction reflects the critical power of inter-agency cooperation in addressing regional drug trafficking,” said Williams said. “I thank the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation and our law enforcement partners for the thorough coordination that ensured accountability and brought this case to a successful conclusion.”