A Richlands man is facing serious charges after deputies say he sold fentanyl that led to a deadly overdose.
According to arrest warrants issued by the Onslow County Sheriff’s Office, 26-year-old Anthony Joseph Dupcza was arrested Wednesday, April 29. He is charged with felony death by distribution, possession with intent to manufacture, sell, and deliver a Schedule II controlled substance, as well as selling and delivering a Schedule II controlled substance.
Arrest warrants state the charges stem from an incident on March 31, 2025. Investigators allege Dupcza sold fentanyl to Taiye Reid, and that the ingestion of the drug resulted in Reid’s death.
Deputies also say Dupcza possessed fentanyl with the intent to sell or distribute it.
Dupcza is being held without bond at the Onslow County Jail. He is scheduled to appear in court on Thursday, April 30.
RALEIGH, N.C. (WTVD) — Fentanyl Awareness Day is being observed Wednesday with new data showing a decline in fentanyl-related deaths — and overall overdose deaths — across North Carolina.
An update from the NCDHHS shows overall overdose deaths in the state fell by 34% between 2023 and 2024, the first decline since 2019. Fentanyl-related deaths peaked at just over 3,300 in 2022 and have declined to fewer than 1,500 last year, according to state data from the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner.
Advocates say the progress is a good sign — but they’re clear the fentanyl crisis is far from over.
“We now have over 20,000 fentanyl victims in North Carolina, and the families, the victims families have said enough,” Barb Walsh of Cary said.
Walsh lost her daughter, Sophia, to fentanyl in August 2021. Since then, she’s worked with lawmakers to push for changes and founded the Fentanyl Victims Network of North Carolina to help families navigating similar losses.
“So the deaths are still occurring and it may be less, but those families will not take any comfort in knowing that their loved one was not saved,” Walsh said.
That decline in fentanyl-related deaths is part of a broader drop in overdose deaths across the state. According to NCDHHS, overdose deaths involving all drugs fell from more than 4,400 in 2023 to fewer than 3,000 in 2024.
Walsh credited the progress in part to expanded access to naloxone, a drug used to reverse overdoses, and increased public awareness.
“They’re saying the word fentanyl out loud. They’re talking about the life naloxone. They’re elevating the public discussion about naloxone and fentanyl victims. Deaths More importantly, it is treating the victims and their families with dignity and respect,” she said.
Despite the improvement, Walsh said continued efforts are critical.
“It is not time yet to stop talking about trying to save lives together. The work the government is doing, the opioid settlement funds, law enforcement, district attorney’s harm reduction groups, public health, the families who have started nonprofits, all of you, all of us are needed in order to save lives,” she said.
State officials say counties showing the most progress are those using funds from a $1.4 billion opioid settlement, which requires adherence to specific guidelines and reporting standards to access the money.
While the latest data shows a significant decline, advocates say continued coordination across agencies and communities will be key to sustaining the progress.
With the number of drug overdose deaths dropping, some are celebrating. But is there a risk in declaring victory too early and cutting funding for prevention? Today’s guest on Grieving Out Loud, an addiction researcher at Stanford, says not so fast. About 72,000 overdose deaths a year still exceeds the total number of Americans who died in the Vietnam War.
In this episode of Grieving Out Loud, Dr. Kepner shares what history has taught us about past drug epidemics, and how those lessons can guide the path forward while preventing as many deaths as possible.
North Carolina saw infant mortality hit a record low and overdose deaths fall 34% in 2024, driven by Medicaid expansion and increased naloxone distribution.
North Carolina’s infant mortality rate hit an all-time low and overdose-related deaths plummeted in 2024, the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services announced Monday.
A new report shows the infant mortality rate dropped 8.7% from 6.9 to 6.3 deaths per 1,000 births, with the number of deaths decreasing from 828 in 2023 to 770 in 2024. Infant mortality is traditionally defined as the death of an infant before their first birthday.
Drug overdose deaths fell 34%, from 4,442 deaths in 2023 to 2,934 deaths in 2024, the first decline in fatal overdoses since 2019.
State leaders say expanding Medicaid across North Carolina, coupled with more distribution of overdose-reversal medications, drove the nosedive in deaths. But racial disparities persist, and officials say their work isn’t finished.
“We are encouraged by the declines in overdose-related deaths and infant mortality rates in North Carolina, which coincide with recent investments in our health system,” Dr. Kelly Kimple, the director of DHHS’ Division of Public Health, wrote in the report. “However, other trends show that there is still work to be done, and our department remains committed to improving health outcomes for everyone who calls North Carolina home.”
Here’s what the report found.
Infant mortalities drop, but racial disparities persist
State officials say progress on infant mortality was driven by a nearly 15% decrease in neonatal deaths, meaning more babies are surviving “the earliest and most vulnerable” weeks of life.
And two years after North Carolina became the 41st state to expand Medicaid, state leaders say more than 700,000 patients gained access to the critical care they needed, including maternal and infant care.
“This historic decline highlights how Medicaid expansion continues to improve health outcomes for children and families in North Carolina,” the report states.
But as infant mortality rates dropped across the state, rates among non-Hispanic Black infants remained nearly three times higher than among non-Hispanic white infants, according to the report.
Of the 770 infant deaths in 2024, more than 40% were Black children, the report stated. But the mortality rate among Black infants also saw a slight decrease, dropping from 340 deaths in 2023 to 315 in 2024.
“It’s absolutely egregious that we have babies dying as a result of their race or ethnicity in a state like North Carolina where we have excellent care and community-based services,” said Dr. Dorothy Cilenti, a clinical professor at the UNC-Chapel Hill’s Department of Maternal and Child Health and the associate dean of public health practice. “There’s absolutely no reason.”
The report said state officials will continue to target these “unacceptable” disparities through initiatives like the “I Gave Birth” campaign — a collaboration among 48 hospitals and providers to improve postpartum care in the first six to eight weeks after childbirth — and programs for maternal mental health.
Cilenti said it’s “exciting” to see the improving data, which she said is likely due to factors like better practices in childbirth and more investment in women’s health, like a drop in smoking rates during pregnancy.
But keeping infant mortality rates low can only be done by considering the “upstream” inequities of motherhood, Cilenti said, like making a livable wage, having access to healthy food and affordable housing and helping mothers balance breastfeeding with their job — all factors that improve a family’s health.
She said there must be state-wide willingness and attention to bring the mortality rates down in order for the trend to continue.
“It has to be political will,” Cilenti said. “This has to remain a priority. There has to be a complete intolerance for preventable deaths.”
Overdose deaths decrease in 2023
The state in 2024 saw its biggest decline in overdose deaths since 2019, the report states, including a sizable decrease in opioid-related overdose deaths, which fell 38.3%, from 3,656 in 2023 to 2,254 in 2024.
These rates decreased most significantly among Hispanic and Black residents, according to the new data.
State officials attributed the drop to Medicaid expansion and prevention efforts like increased access to naloxone or NARCAN, a fast-acting medication used to reverse overdoses. In 2024, DHHS distributed more than 150,000 doses of reversal medications to organizations across the state.
“As Attorney General, I held big opioid drug companies accountable for their roles in sparking an addiction epidemic that harmed communities across the state, and we secured $1.5 billion to reinvest in those communities to help folks get the care they need while keeping drugs off the streets,” Gov. Josh Stein wrote in the report. “Medicaid expansion is also enabling more people to get the health care they need. This sharp decline in overdose-related deaths is a clear demonstration of the investments North Carolina has made to keep people safe and healthy.”
Total deaths decrease across
NC Deaths in North Carolina declined for the third year in a row after hitting a peak during the pandemic. The state reported 106,603 deaths in 2024, a roughly 1% decrease from 2023 and a steep drop from 118,040 deaths in 2021.
Deaths in the Triangle saw only slight changes in 2024, according to DHHS data. Wake County deaths decreased only nominally, but deaths increased in Orange County by about 8%, from 1,626 in 2023 to 1,769 in 2024.
In Durham County, deaths decreased by about 4%, from 3,954 in 2023 to 3,793 in 2024.
Two people from Lee County were arrested Thursday after being accused of selling fentanyl with a child present, deputies said.
Lee County deputies said an investigation found that 32-year-old Felipe Jaimes Jr. and 39-year-old Leemary Davila Rosado were working together to sell and deliver fentanyl in Lee County.
According to deputies, the pair had their child present with them while they were delivering the drugs.
The two were each charged with:
4 counts of trafficking fentanyl
3 counts possession with intent to sell and deliver fentanyl
3 counts of exposing child to controlled substnace
2 counts of felony conspiracy
3 counts of possession of drug paraphernalia
During their first court appearances, both Jaimes and Rosado were given a $2 million bond each.
BUNCOMBE COUNTY, N.C. (WLOS) — Fentanyl-related deaths in Buncombe County have declined from a recent peak, but law enforcement officials say the drug continues to move into the community through established trafficking routes and remains a serious threat.
Data from the North Carolina Office of the Chief Medical Examiner shows Buncombe County recorded 66 fentanyl-positive deaths in 2025, down from 82 in 2024 and significantly lower than the peak of 144 deaths in 2022.
Emergency department data shows a similar trend. Buncombe County recorded 336 overdose-related emergency room visits in 2024, compared to 521 in 2023, according to state health data.
Still, Buncombe County Sheriff’s Office Capt. Chris Stockton said the presence of fentanyl remains widespread.
“It’s funneling in across Buncombe County. There’s not just one singular common spot. It can be anywhere,” Stockton said.
Stockton said what investigators see locally is tied to a broader supply chain driven by demand within the community.
MARCH 31, 2026 – Buncombe County Sheriff’s Office Capt. Chris Stockton said the presence of fentanyl remains widespread. (Photo: WLOS Staff)
“You have local folks within the community that know of demand and they just source out to find folks who are eventually linked into much larger organizations,” Stockton said.
Those larger networks often begin outside western North Carolina.
“Most prevalent ones we’re seeing right now are starting at a port in either Charleston or Wilmington,” Stockton said. “They’ll make their way from there to Charlotte, Knoxville, and Atlanta, and from there into our community.”
Investigations into fentanyl cases can begin in several ways, including overdose calls, tips, or information from other agencies.
“All of the above,” Stockton said. “They can start with an overdose, a community complaint, or information from other agencies.”
While deaths have declined in recent years, Stockton said fentanyl remains especially dangerous compared to other drugs.
“With fentanyl specifically, it takes a very, very minute amount to bring very quick, sudden death,” he said. “That was not something that we dealt with 20 years ago.”
Stockton said recent declines in overdose deaths may be tied to factors such as increased availability of naloxone, improved training for recognizing overdoses and expanded response programs in Buncombe County. However, he said those improvements have not eliminated the problem.
“At the same time, those fatalities are tragically still happening very often,” he said.
Law enforcement officials also point to the overlap between drug trafficking and firearms as a continuing concern. Stockton said narcotics operations often involve weapons used to protect drugs and money, increasing the risk of violence.
Even with arrests and enforcement efforts, Stockton said the issue continues to evolve.
“Yes, we do see recidivism very commonly,” he said. “And at the same time, humans are very adaptational creatures. If I’m really good at something and I can make a lot of money doing it, it would take a very significant motivator for me to change my behavior.”
He added that there is no simple solution.
“There is no instant solution to that problem,” Stockton said. “As long as there is a demand, people will find a way to bring the supply.”
A man in McDowell County, North Carolina, has been charged after a 22-year-old’s death was ruled an overdose.
On July 10, 2025, the McDowell County Sheriff’s Office responded to a call regarding a cardiac arrest.
When deputies arrived, they found Garrett Shepard dead at a home.
McDowell County Sheriff’s Office
In February 2026, an autopsy reported Shephard had died from toxic levels of fentanyl and cocaine in his body. There were no signs of trauma or injury.
Investigators determined 46-year-old James Curtis Johnson was responsible for distributing the drugs to Shepard and was charged with felony death by distribution.
“This case is a tragic reminder of the deadly consequences tied to fentanyl and illegal drug distribution,” said Chief Deputy Nathan Mace. “When individuals choose to sell or share these substances, they are putting lives at risk—and in this case, it cost a young man his life.”
