Raleigh heroin trafficker intimidated witnesses before sentencing, feds say

A major Raleigh drug trafficker was sentenced to 40 years in federal prison for trafficking heroin after attempting to intimidate witnesses before his sentencing.

Ahmad Rashad McClain, 47, known by his street name “Wop,” previously served nearly 20 years in prison for murder in the second degree , according to the N.C. Department of Adult Correction. He was released in 2015.

After detaining him at a traffic stop in July 2022, law enforcement officers with a search warrant took McClain to his home and found heroin, marijuana and protonitazene — a dangerous, synthetic opioid — and over $15,000 in cash, the U.S. Department of Justice said in a news release last week.

McClain was accused of distributing 24,000 grams, or nearly 53 pounds, of heroin over two years, the release stated.

McClain got a longer prison sentence because he intimidated witnesses, directing an associate over five phone calls to contact two confidential informants who were expected to provide evidence connecting him to the weight of drugs, the release stated.

“Without they testimony, they can’t do [expletive],” McClain said, according to the Department of Justice release.

“The associate confirmed, ‘You ain’t got to worry about,‘ had made contact with the witnesses.”

Intimidating or interfering with witnesses in North Carolina is a Class G felony.

“Tampering with witnesses and attempted intimidation is a sure-fire way to extend your stay in federal prison,” said U.S. Attorney Michael Easley. “Heroin traffickers like McClain drive addiction in our city and will do anything to dodge accountability.”

If he serves his maximum sentence, McClain would nearly be 90 years old upon release.