NEWTON, N.C. — A 44-year-old man was sentenced to six to eight years in prison Friday after pleading guilty to trafficking methamphetamine in Catawba County Superior Court.

Colby Cline was also given a mandatory $500,000 fine following his conviction. Cline will serve his sentence in the North Carolina Division of Adult Corrections custody.

The case began Feb. 5 when Hickory police officers responded to a convenience store to locate someone with an outstanding warrant. Officers eventually found Cline in a vehicle and made contact with him.

During the encounter, officers saw a black pouch with clear plastic bags inside that appeared to contain a "crystalline substance" resembling methamphetamine, according to court records.

The bags were seized and Cline was arrested. The State Crime La

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