A Godwin, North Carolina, man has been sentenced to serve five years in prison after entering a change of plea to guilty for one Class B felony count of possession of fentanyl with intent to deliver.

Darrick Cornell Butler, 48, entered his change of plea to the charge in North Central District Court on Tuesday before Judge Todd Cresap. A second count of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl was dismissed in accordance with a plea agreement with the Ward County State’s Attorney.

According to court documents, the Ward County Narcotics Task Force received information regarding an individual identified as Angel Ann Smith, 33, on June 4, who had an active federal warrant for narcotics-related charges, possibly staying at a Minot hotel. Hotel staff provided the number for Smith’s room and identified an individual with her as Butler.

Smith and Butler were later detained while they attempted to leave the hotel in a vehicle. Task force officers located a black box with Butler. The box contained 30-40 M30 fentanyl pills, 19 grams of methamphetamine and a brown powdery substance believed to be a mixture of multiple narcotics, according to the affidavit of probable cause.

Butler was on parole at the time for multiple other narcotics delivery and possession charges.

Cresap sentenced Butler to serve 10 years with the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, with all but five years suspended pending the completion of three years of supervised probation. Butler was given credit for 213 days already served, and was ordered to complete a chemical dependency evaluation. He was also assessed $775 in court fines and fees.