Raleigh, North Carolina – A Robeson County man was sentenced to 240 months in prison for cocaine distribution, possession with intent to distribute five grams or more of methamphetamine, and criminal possession of a handgun. On April 9, 2024, Lloyd Kinston Locklear, 34, pleaded guilty to the charges.
According to court records and other evidence produced in court, Locklear sold 3.7 grams of cocaine to a confidential informant on January 26, 2022. Following the controlled sale, Robeson County Sheriff’s Deputies obtained a search warrant for Locklear’s house, which was executed on January 27, 2022. When police came, Locklear fled the area in a car, attempting but failing to jump a ditch.
After exiting the vehicle, he was apprehended near a bookbag containing five grams of cocaine, 19.75 grams of Ice (99% pure methamphetamine), <1 gram of methamphetamine, 42.62 grams of heroin, eight hydrocodone pills, 50 oxycodone pills, nine amphetamine pills, 16 diazepam pills, 18 alprazolam pills, 45 grams of marijuana and digital scales. Locklear also had $241 on his person. A check of his automobile revealed a. 22-caliber handgun and a. 32-caliber revolver in the trunk. Locklear confessed he had the guns and had sold drugs. Locklear was accused by the state and later freed on bail.
On November 2, 2022, Maxton Police Department officers arrested Locklear on an outstanding state warrant for a felon in possession of a handgun and discovered him with 29.94 grams of ice (98% pure methamphetamine) and $664. Locklear confessed he owned the methamphetamine and had previously sold cocaine.
He was charged again by the state and then freed on bail. On December 21, 2022, a federal grand jury indicted Locklear on charges of cocaine distribution (January 26, 2022), possession with the intent to distribute methamphetamine (January 27, 2022), possession of a firearm by a convicted felon (January 27, 2022), and possession with the intent to distribute methamphetamine (November 2, 2022).
On January 20, 2023, Robeson County Sheriff’s Deputies saw a vehicle driving on I-95 that failed to keep its lane. Officers stopped the car on suspicion of DUI and approached Locklear, a back passenger. Deputies asked Locklear to get out of the car, which he did, but he soon began to fight the deputy’s effort to arrest him on the federal warrant. Locklear was shackled with his hands in front of him and refused to obey directions.
The deputy drew out his taser, and Locklear sprang at him, punching him in the chest and arms, knocking the taser out of the officer’s hands and removing his body-worn camera from his chest. The deputy retrieved his taser and then attempted unsuccessfully to shock Locklear, who was aggressively coming toward the deputy and saying, “Come on, Bruh.” The deputy grasped Locklear’s handcuffs, but he wrenched free and walked to the front of the truck.
Locklear then threw his arms forward, saying, “Get back, get back,” and the deputy noticed what he thought to be a handgun in Locklear’s handcuffs. The deputy pulled his handgun and shot at Locklear, but did not hit him. Locklear then proceeded to the back of the deputy’s police vehicle and lay down in surrender. Deputies examined the area and discovered a stolen.45 caliber pistol on the grassy shoulder of I-95, about 50 feet behind the stopped car.
Between January 2022 and his federal arrest in January 2023, Locklear was free on bail on state charges of burglary, conspiracy to conduct robbery with a dangerous weapon, robbery with a dangerous weapon, and first-degree murder coming from an incident on June 3, 2020. Locklear was also on bail on state charges of breaking, larceny after breaking, and conspiracy to break or larceny in connection with an incident on April 26, 2021. All of Locklear’s state charges are from Robeson County, and they are still pending.
Michael Easley, US Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, made the news following the sentencing of U.S. District Judge Terrence W. Boyle. The case was investigated by the Robeson County Sheriff’s Office, the Maxton Police Department, and the ATF, with Assistant United States Attorney Phil Aubart prosecuting it.