North Carolina mayor accused of trafficking methamphetamine, arrest warrant shows
A Western North Carolina mayor is facing six felony charges tied to drug trafficking.
On Monday, Aug. 3, Robbinsville Mayor Shaun Larry Adams, 46, was arrested by the Graham County Sheriff's Office and charged with the following:
- Felony possession of a Schedule II controlled substance
- Felony possession of methamphetamine
- Felony possession with intent to manufacture/sell/deliver a Schedule II controlled substance
- Felony trafficking methamphetamine
- Two counts of felony maintaining a vehicle/dwelling/place for a controlled substance
According to the arrest warrants, Adams possessed an amount of cocaine and 42.1 grams of meth. Adams also allegedly used his home on Lon Brown Road to keep and sell cocaine and methamphetamine.
Adams was booked into the Graham County Jail under a $100,000 bond. He is scheduled to appear in court on Aug. 10.
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The sheriff's office said additional information will be released on Wednesday morning, Aug. 5.
"No One is Above the Law"
Graham County Sheriff Russell W. Moody stated, "No one is above the law. It does not matter who you are or what position you hold, if there is probable cause that a crime has been committed, the Graham County Sheriff's Office will investigate and take the appropriate enforcement action. We remain committed to enforcing the law fairly, impartially, and equally for everyone."
Who is Shaun Adams?
Adams has served as the mayor of Robbinsville since 2021 and was most recently re-elected in November 2025 with nearly 70% of the total votes.
History of Traffic Infractions
According to court records, Adams has had several minor run-ins with the law in the past. In 2024, he was cited for not wearing a seatbelt.
Court records show that on May 18, 2026, Adams was cited for "FICT/ALT TITLE/REG CARD/TAG," meaning he was accused of displaying or holding a fake, altered, canceled, or suspended title, registration card, or license plate.
On July 4, 2026, Adams received another traffic infraction for not having a light that illuminated the rear plate and failure to give his driver's license to a Graham County deputy.
Note: The Greenville-Spartanburg-Asheville-Anderson Nielsen Designated Market Area (DMA) serves 28 counties across South Carolina, North Carolina, and Georgia. It is the 36th largest media market in the country.