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ASHEVILLE, N.C. (WJHL) — Drug trafficking charges initially filed against former Johnson City businessman Sean Williams in Jackson County, N.C. have now been transferred to federal court.
Documents from the Western District of North Carolina show Williams was indicted Aug. 1 on two counts of manufacturing, distributing or dispensing a controlled substance.
Western Carolina University (WCU) police arrested Williams — who had been a federal fugitive on Tennessee charges for nearly two years — early April 29 after searching his car, which was parked near the Tuckaseegee River in Cullowhee. They allegedly discovered more than 12 ounces of cocaine and more than 14 ounces of methamphetamine.
Recent search warrant affidavits filed in Tennessee revealed that in addition to drugs, WCU police reported finding thumb drives and other digital devices that allegedly contained videos and photos showing Williams allegedly sexually assaulting more than 50 women in his Johnson City apartment.
Williams has never been charged with sex crimes in Johnson City but was indicted federally in April 2021 for allegedly being a felon in possession of ammunition. He is in federal custody and faces a Nov. 2 hearing on that charge, which can carry a sentence of up to 10 years in prison.
The North Carolina federal indictment charges Williams with violating Title 21 Section 841 of the U.S. Criminal Code. The first count charges him with possessing more than 50 grams of methamphetamine, which violates 841(b)(1)(A). Conviction on that count carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison and a fine of up to 10 million dollars.
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Williams’ original arrest affidavit in the WCU case alleged he had 411 grams of methamphetamine. That affidavit also said officers’ search of his car yielded 354 grams of cocaine, or nearly 13 ounces.
The federal count on cocaine references 841(b)(1)(C), which lists a maximum sentence of 20 years. The indictment also seeks forfeiture of $101,378.65.
No court date has been set for Williams’ federal case in North Carolina, which is being prosecuted by Annabelle Chambers.
Williams is a central figure in two lawsuits filed against Johnson City, its police department and several officers. The first, filed in June 2022, alleges police did not renew a contract with Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Kat Dahl after she pressed them between November 2020 and May 2021 to more actively investigate allegations of serial rape against Williams.
The second suit was filed in June of this year on behalf of nine alleged and as-yet-unnamed victims of Williams. It alleges police treated Williams as “untouchable” despite receiving at least six reports from November 2019 to November 2020 alleging he had attempted to drug and/or sexually assault women in his fifth-floor downtown apartment.
