ASHEVILLE, N.C. (828newsNOW) — A Barnardsville man has been sentenced to 10 to 13 years in prison after pleading guilty to trafficking opium and heroin, armed robbery and being a habitual felon in connection with a 2025 pharmacy robbery in Weaverville.
John Wesley Burleson, 37, was sentenced Friday, June 5, 2026, in Buncombe County Superior Court by Superior Court Judge Jacqueline Grant. Prosecutors said the sentence reflects his designation as a habitual felon under North Carolina law, which enhances penalties for defendants with at least three prior felony convictions.
According to prosecutors, Burleson’s record includes convictions for burglary, forgery and uttering forged instruments, and possession of counterfeit instruments…