Tag: arrest

Man pleads guilty to supplying drugs that led to fentanyl poisoning

CABARRUS COUNTY, N.C. — A person accused of supplying the drugs that led to a man’s death pleaded guilty in court on Friday.

The hearing was a long time coming for the family of Marshall Abbott, who died due to fentanyl poisoning in June 2022. He died one day before his 30th birthday.

Aaron Furr was arrested in connection with Abbott’s death and charged with death by distribution. Police say he supplied the fentanyl that killed Abbott.

In court Friday, Furr pleaded guilty to the charge. He was sentenced to about five and a half to seven and a half years in prison.

His family sighed with relief when Furr was sentenced.

“I’m a mom. I fought for Marshall his whole life and I’ll always fight for him,” Beth Abernathy said.

Abernathy has fond memories of her son.

“He was an amazing father and amazing son, an amazing friend. And this world is a darker place without him,” she said.

Her husband, Matt Abernathy, said losing Marshall changed everything for him.

“It’s a before and an after — Before Marshall and after Marshall — and life is just different,” he said.

The district attorney’s office sent a statement to Channel 9, saying, “it was an honor to advocate for justice for Marshall Abbott and his family.” But Beth Abernathy said justice won’t stop here.

“Marshall’s case will set a precedent for every family that has to go through this,” she said. “We’ve created a roadmap here in Cabarrus County, and we have proven that you can successfully investigate and prosecute these cases. And we will stand by every fentanyl family in our county and across the state to make sure that every fentanyl dealer is punished to the full extent of the law.”

After the plea hearing, Marshall Abbott’s family and other advocates who came to support them met with the district attorney and assistant district attorney. Goetz was in that meeting while the DA thanked the family for fighting so hard and talked about work they will do in the future to fight for other families.

Read the article and watch the video on the WSOC TV9 website.

High Point man sentenced to 8-11 years for death by distribution in Thomasville

THOMASVILLE, N.C. (WGHP) — A High Point man was sentenced to 8-11 years in prison after pleading guilty to death by distribution, according to the Thomasville Police Department.

On May 28, 2021, officers came to the 300 block of James Avenue and found 35-year-old Jacob Fields dead at the scene.

An autopsy report later revealed that Fields died from a fentanyl overdose.

Investigators identified Larento Valentino Grady Jr., 30, of High Point as the person who supplied the fentanyl to Fields.

On June 13, 2022, the High Point Police Department and Thomasville officers located and arrested Grady at his High Point home without incident.

Grady was indicted by a Davidson County Grand Jury on charges of second-degree murder and death by distribution in July 2022.

On Wednesday, Grady pleaded guilty to the death by distribution charge and was sentenced to serve a minimum of 100 months and a maximum of 132 months in prison.

“The sentence of Larento Grady Jr., to over eight years in prison is a testament to the hard work Thomasville detectives and the Davidson County District Attorney’s Office put into this investigation to ensure our goal was accomplished,” said Detective Lt. Jeff McCrary. “Thomasville detectives continue to work tirelessly alongside the Davidson County District Attorney’s Office and other law enforcement partners to ensure the people dealing drugs in our community are held fully accountable for the death and destruction they selfishly cause.”

Read the original article and watch the video on the MyFox8.com website.

2 charged after man found dead from fentanyl, cocaine overdose in Davidson Co., deputies say

Davidson County deputies said Dustin Kirby and Gavin Blackburn were charged in connection to a deadly fentanyl overdose case.

DAVIDSON COUNTY, N.C. — Two people were charged Monday in connection to a deadly drug-related overdose case in Davidson County, according to officials. 

The Davidson County Sheriff’s Office said on July 29, 2023, deputies were called to Holly Grove Lutheran Church on 212 Holly Grove Lutheran Church Rd. in Lexington about a man found dead in the parking lot. Investigators said evidence on the scene led them to believe it may have been related to a drug overdose. 

Detectives said after investigating for several months, they found out that 24-year-old Gavin Blackburn, of Thomasville, and 33-year-old Dustin Kirby, of Thomasville, supplied drugs to the victim before his death.

An autopsy report showed details that the victim died as a result of the toxic effects of fentanyl and cocaine.

On Monday, May 6, 2024, detectives found and arrested Blackburn and Kirby on a warrant for 2nd-degree murder death by distribution. 

Both are being held in the Davidson County Detention Center and are scheduled to appear in Lexington District Court on Monday, June 3, 2024.

Read the original story on the WFMY News2 website.

Harnett Man Linked To Fentanyl Deaths Of 4 People, Authorities Say

HARNETT COUNTY – A Harnett County man with a history of law enforcement interaction for the past 20 years has been indicted by a grand jury for distributing fentanyl that killed four people on the morning of March 28, 2020.

The jury returned a true bill of indictment on Feb. 26 charging Gerard LaSalle McLean, 37, of 446 Raynor McLamb Road, Bunnlevel, with four counts each of death by distribution and aggravated death by distribution.

“There were two scenes,” explained Harnett County Sheriff’s Office Maj. Aaron Meredith. The first victim, Shannon Lynette McLean, was located at 112 Blake St. in Lillington at 12:49 a.m. Three other victims were found dead in a car located at 242 Nutgrass Road in Bunnlevel at 7:37 a.m.

There were others who overdosed at both locations and survived,” Meredith shared.

The indictment alleges Gerard McLean sold fentanyl to a person identified as Courtney McLean. Investigators say this substance was ingested by Shannon McLean and she died as a result.

While looking into this indictment, the Record learned that Gerard McLean has three other related indictments stemming from his alleged distribution of fentanyl in March 2020.

Lt. R.S. Jackson, of the Harnett County Sheriff’s Office and a homicide detective in the criminal investigation division, charged Gerard McLean with three counts of death by distribution on March 28, 2020. He was arrested on May 6, 2020. He has been held under a $600,000 secured bond since that time. Based on this arrest and a prior drug conviction in Cumberland County, the jury agreed on charges of aggravated death by distribution in the deaths of Shannon McLean, Ervin Bass Jr., Laketa Vinson and Brittany Shaw.

The last three indictments were returned on July 6 and served on Gerard McLean in the Harnett County Detention Center the following day.

The indictments allege that the fentanyl was purchased from Gerard McLean by Brittany Shaw and ingested by Bass, Vinson and Shaw, resulting in their deaths.

All four of Gerard McLean’s alleged victims died on March 28, 2020.

Continue reading “Harnett Man Linked To Fentanyl Deaths Of 4 People, Authorities Say”

Man arrested for possessing a pound of liquid fentanyl in Sanford Man arrested for possessing a pound of liquid fentanyl in Sanford

During the traffic stop, narcotics agents discovered a liquid fentanyl mixture, marijuana, and fentanyl that was individually wrapped in Brandon Currie’s wallet.

A man was arrested for carrying a pound of liquid fentanyl in Sanford on Monday.

The Lee County Sheriff’s Office arrested Brandon Currie during a traffic stop on Third Street in Sanford.

During the traffic stop, narcotics agents discovered a liquid fentanyl mixture, marijuana, and fentanyl that was individually wrapped in Currie’s wallet.

The fentanyl mixture weighed over 500 grams, a little more than one pound.

Currie, 39, was arrested and charged with:

  • Trafficking opioid by transport
  • Trafficking opioid by possession
  • Possession of controlled substance within 1000 feet of a school
  • Simple possession schedule VI controlled substance
  • Maintaining a vehicle for sale of controlled substance
  • Possession of drug paraphernalia
  • Possession of marijuana paraphernalia

Currie was issued a $100,000 bond on Tuesday by judge.

Rutherford County man found guilty for mailing drugs that killed Iowa vicitm

RUTHERFORD COUNTY, N.C. (WSPA) – The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Iowa announced that a man was found guilty after mailing heroin and fentanyl that killed a man in Dubuque, Iowa.

According to evidence in the trial, James Adam Earwood, 38, of Lake Lure, North Carolina mailed a package of heroin and fentanyl to another person on November 18, 2021. Officials said that Earwood was living in North Carolina at the time and the victim was living in Dubuque, Iowa. 

The victim used heroin and fentanyl and overdosed in the parking lot of a local business in Dubuque and survived. According to officials, one month later the victim received another package of heroin and fentanyl in the mail from Earwood on December 17, 2021. The victim used the heroin and fentanyl and died shortly after.  He was found dead by hotel staff in a hotel in Dubuque, Iowa. 

Evidence revealed that Earwood was using social media platforms on the dark web to arrange transactions of heroin and fentanyl with other people. Investigators tracked down at least one other package of heroin and fentanyl that Earwood had sent.

Earwood is being held by the United States Marshals until he can be sentenced.  A sentencing date has not been set yet.

Read the full story on the WSPA TV7 website.

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Two arrested after nearly 120 pounds of fentanyl seized in traffic stop, Iredell County Sheriff’s Office says

Officials seized enough of the drug to kill every person in North Carolina more than two times over.

IREDELL COUNTY, N.C. — Two people are in jail after the Iredell County Sheriff’s Office seized almost 120 pounds of suspected fentanyl mixed with cocaine during a traffic stop on Sunday. 

The two people, one from Mexico and the other from New Mexico were traveling on I-77 from Charlotte to Philadelphia in a tractor-trailer when they were stopped by the Iredell County Sheriff’s Office Interstate Criminal Enforcement Team (ICE) for a traffic violation. 

During the traffic stop, ICSO K-9 Groot indicated the presence of narcotics in the tractor-trailer. After searching the vehicle, deputies located 120 lbs of suspected fentanyl mixed with cocaine, which has a street value of $3.75 million.

Deputies said that they seized enough of the drug to kill every person in the entire state of North Carolina – two and a half times over.

Read the full article and watch the video on the WCNC website.

Statesville man charged in 2022 drug overdose death, sheriff says

A 26-year-old was taken to Iredell Memorial Hospital due to a drug overdose and later died, deputies said.

STATESVILLE, N.C. (WBTV) – A deadly 2022 fentanyl overdose in Iredell County has led to charges being filed more than a year later.

Deputies were called to Hickory Highway in Statesville on July 23, 2022, for a possible drug overdose, according to the Iredell County Sheriff’s Office.

A 26-year-old was taken to Iredell Memorial Hospital due to a drug overdose and later died, deputies said.

During the investigation, 26-year-old Dakoda Michael Drake, of Statesville, was identified as the person who provided fentanyl to the victim, according to the sheriff’s office.

“After months of waiting, the Iredell County Sheriff’s Office recently received the Toxicology Report indicating the victim’s cause of death was confirmed as a Fentanyl overdose,” a news release stated.

An arrest warrant was obtained for Drake and he was arrested on Nov. 24 for felony death by distribution, deputies said.

He was given a $350,000 secured bond on this charge.

Read the full article on the WBTV website.

They Were Go-To Dealers for College Students. Now They’re Headed to Prison.

A trial in federal court last week stemming from the overdose of a 23-year-old Raleigh man exposed the inner workings of a drug-dealing duo and their college-student clients.

The weekend of March 4, 2023, was a big one in the Triangle. 

Big for thousands of students and alums because longtime basketball rivals Duke University and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill were facing off. Big for crowded restaurants and bars that had the Saturday night game in UNC’s Dean Dome on their wide-screen TVs.

And big for Cye Frasier and his girlfriend, Carlisa Allen, who expected to bring in $10,000 in drug sales that weekend from their primary customer base: college students.

That weekend was the first time Josh Zinner, a former UNC-Wilmington student from Raleigh, purchased directly from Frasier and Allen, according to testimony last week in federal court. His roommate, a former UNC-Chapel Hill student and Phi Gamma Delta member, referred him to Frasier.

Continue reading “They Were Go-To Dealers for College Students. Now They’re Headed to Prison.”