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Catawba County sheriffโ€™s office charges man in fatal fentanyl case

Read the original article on the WSOC TV News website.

CATAWBA COUNTY, N.C. โ€” A 26-year-old man was indicted and arrested in connection with the fentanyl toxicity death of Jacob Lee Kirk, the Catawba County sheriff announced Monday. Juan Sebastian Solarte faces charges of death by distribution and the sale of a Schedule II controlled substance.

Kirk was found dead at his home in February 2025. An autopsy conducted by the North Carolina Office of the Chief Medical Examiner determined the cause of death to be fentanyl toxicity.

The Catawba County Grand Jury returned the indictment against Solarte on Jan. 20, the sheriff said. The formal charges include death by distribution and the sale of a Schedule II controlled substance.

This legal action follows an investigation that began when Kirkโ€™s body was discovered nearly one year ago.

Following the indictment, law enforcement officers located Solarte in Florida.

The Palm Beach County Sheriffโ€™s Office took him into custody on Feb. 3 in Boca Raton. Solarte is 26 years old.

Sheriff Don Brown commented on the departmentโ€™s focus on the investigation and offered support to the Kirk family.

โ€œI want the family of Jacob Kirk to know that we remain committed to accountability and seeing this case through. I extend my sincere condolences to the family of Mr. Kirk,โ€ Brown said.

Solarte is currently being held in Florida. He is awaiting extradition back to North Carolina to face the charges.

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Craven County authorities arrest Jacksonville resident linked to Vanceboro overdose death

Visit the WCTI News 12 website to read the original article and watch the video.

A Jacksonville man has been arrested and charged in relation to a 2024 overdose death in Vanceboro.

Robert Brinson Moore Jr

Robert Brinson Moore Jr., 43, was arrested on Nov. 28 by the Craven County Sheriff’s Office Special Investigation Bureau, in collaboration with the Onslow County Sheriff’s Office and the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigations.

Moore’s arrest is in relation to the Sept. 14, 2024 overdose death of Morgana-Don Maliha Mahmud, 24, of Vanceboro.

Authorities say that at the time of his arrest, Moore had cocaine in possession.

Moore is currently confined in the Craven County Confinement Facility under no bond.

Fentvic 100 County Reports Updated

Fentvic has updated the 100 County Fentanyl reports using the latest data received from the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services. Each report is a separate PDF file which can be downloaded.

Visit the Report Page to view all 100 county reports.

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