Tag: fentanyl

Local advocate encouraged by recent discussions by county leadership on opioid addiction

Read the original article and view the pictures on the Davidson Local website.

Mike Loomis, founder of Race Against Drugs, is having one of the best weeks of his life four years after the worst day of his life.  

Loomis and his wife lost their son, James, to fentanyl poisoning in April 2021. Since that day, they have been channeling their pain, anger and frustration into educating people on the dangers of opioid addiction, supporting those in need of recovery and advocating for public access of naloxone, otherwise known as Narcan. 

Loomis has been an ever-present fixture at the Davidson County Opioid Settlement Funds committee, the Davidson County Board of Commissioners, the Davidson County Board of Education meetings and other events. He has been vocal about the need for access to Narcan in the community, including in the schools.  

He says it has been an uphill battle, but this week he feels he has made some significant progress with county leadership. 

“It’s about time the county commissioners, the schools and the community have come together to provide this life-saving cog in saving lives,” said Loomis. 

On Monday, the Davidson County Schools Board of Education approved a new policy for the use of naloxone in emergency situations to prevent opioid overdose death. The proposed policy states each school in the district should have an adequate supply stored in a secure, yet accessible location. The policy includes training one or more employee at each school as part of the medical care program in the emergency use of Narcan. 

“I would like to thank the superintendent and the school board for considering this policy,” said Loomis. “This is only one cog in saving a life in Davidson County. Right now, we are at around 480 people in Davidson County who have died because of fentanyl. The highest growing number of deaths are from 14- to 17-year-olds; these are your students, these are your children.”  

This policy will be under review for the next 30 days before final approval by the Davidson County Schools Board of Education. 

Narcan has been approved by the Federal Drug Administration as safe to use for the life-saving application during a suspected opioid overdose and can be administered to anyone regardless of their age.  

On Thursday, the Davidson County Board of Commissioners continued their discussion on using opioid settlement funds for supporting school programs and whether to hire a full-time coordinator to oversee the use of the opioid settlement funds.  

The commissioners heard from Davidson County Schools Superintendent Dr. Gregg Slate about the pending Narcan policy, as well as other potential early prevention programs through the schools. 

Slate said the schools are working on developing a sustainable and vetted medical source to supply Narcan, as well as, estimating costs of training. He said the district has also considered parent and caregiver education, opioid awareness and prevention programming for students, as well as professional development for staff. 

“We looked a variety of different things, from the front end and the back end,” said Slate. “We’ve already started the conversation…We are trying to be on the forefront of this as far as school districts go because I think it is important.” 

The commissioners voiced strong support of the new Narcan policy and asked Slate to bring back a proposal on using opioid settlement funds to purchase supplies and training staff on its use.  

Due to a scheduling conflict, the superintendents from Lexington City Schools and Thomasville City Schools, could not participate in the discussion on Thursday, but are scheduled to appear at a county commissioner meeting in September.  

Davidson County Manager Casey Smith said there were not a whole lot of options in the state for consultants specifically for management of opioid settlement funds, but there was a group in Asheville, the Mount Area Health Education Center, that did offer training and development of impact strategies. 

The commissioners decided they would like to hear more information from the MAHEC in a future meeting before making any further decision on deciding on whether to hire a full-time coordinator or use of consultation services. 

Loomis says he supports the hiring of a coordinator rather than a consultant.  

“They have enough money in the (opioid settlement fund) to hire a legitimate manager. Commissioners may come and go, but a full-time coordinator will know everyone involved and what is needed for this community,” said Loomis. 

To cap off this week of encouraging progress in the fight against opioid addiction, Race Against Drugs will be holding a special event on Saturday. 

A Day of Recovery will be on Aug. 9 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Breeden Insurance Amphitheater in Lexington. 

The annual event includes representation from local law enforcement, the Davidson County District Attorney’s Office, Daymark Recovery Services, Davidson County Medical Ministries, Davidson County Emergency Services,the federal Drug Enforcement Agency, Atrium Wake Forest Baptist Health, Goodwill Industries, several local churches and other non-profit organizations.  

It will also include live entertainment, food trucks, play area for kids, games and door-prizes.  

Loomis said he is thankful for all the support of those involved in the Day of Recovery, the county commissioners and the Davidson County Schools. He said he is encouraged with the progress made towards opioid awareness and prevention, but he has no plans to stop advocating for those touched by fentanyl addiction.  

“I don’t want to be a pain in the ass to people, but I will to save a life,” said Loomis. 

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Two women indicted after juvenile dies of overdose in Asheboro, sheriff’s office says

Read the original article on the WGHP website.

RANDOLPH COUNTY, N.C. (WGHP) — Two women have been indicted after a child died by overdose, according to authorities.

The Randolph County Sheriff’s Office says they were called to a home in Asheboro in May about a juvenile overdose. EMS and fire personnel were already on scene performing life-saving measures when deputies arrived to assist, and the victim was taken to a hospital. The child was pronounced dead at the hospital.

Investigators found drug paraphernalia at the home and sought charges against the victim’s mother, Carrie Jo Graves, 36, and Amy Lee Locklear, 42.

The two women were both indicted by a grand jury in July. Graves was indicted for second-degree murder without regard, and Locklear was indicted for felony involuntary manslaughter.

On July 31, deputies traveled to Robeson and Cumberland Counties to take the two into custody.

Both Graves and Locklear were already wanted for failing to appear in Cumberland County, and Locklear had an additional arrest order for failing to appear in Robeson County.

Graves was taken into custody in Parkton without incident and transported back to Randolph County. She was given no bond.

Locklear was taken into custody in Saint Pauls and brought back to Randolph County. She was given a $362,000 secured bond for the various charges.

Randolph County Sheriff’s Office arrests Carrie Jo Graves and Amy Lee Locklear

Read the original article on the Randolph County Government website.

On May 11, 2024, the Randolph County Sheriff’s Office responded to King Mountain Rd., Asheboro, in reference to a juvenile overdose/cardiac arrest. Deputies assisted EMS and fire personnel, who were already on scene performing life-saving measures on a juvenile victim. The victim was then transported to an area hospital, where the victim was pronounced deceased a short time later. 

While gathering information about the incident, paraphernalia for Narcotic purposes was observed. Detectives with Criminal Investigations and Crime Scene responded to collect any evidence for further investigation.

Following the investigation, charges were sought against Carrie Jo Graves (mother of the juvenile) and Amy Lee Locklear. 

During the July session of the Randolph County Grand Jury, a true bill of indictment was issued on Graves for felony second-degree murder without regard, and a true bill of indictment was issued on Locklear for felony involuntary manslaughter. This indictment was issued as a result of the investigation.

On July 31, 2025, the Criminal Apprehension Team and others traveled to Robeson and Cumberland Counties in an attempt to locate and apprehend Graves and Locklear.

Graves also had an order for arrest out of Cumberland County for failing to appear on a misdemeanor.

Locklear had an order for arrest for failing to appear on a felony in Robeson County and an order for arrest for failing to appear on a felony, as well as an additional failure to appear on a misdemeanor, both in Cumberland County. 

Graves was apprehended at a residence on Tawdry Ln., Parkton, NC, without incident. She was subsequently transported to the Randolph County Detention Center, where she was taken before the magistrate, who issued a first appearance of August 1, 2025, in Randolph County District Court with no bond being set due to the nature of the charges, as well as a first appearance of August 8, 2025, with a $1,000 secured bond in the Cumberland County case. 

Locklear was apprehended at a residence located on King Tuck Rd., Saint Pauls, NC, without incident and was subsequently transported to the Randolph County Detention Center, where the magistrate issued a first appearance of August 11, 2025, and a secured bond of $350,000 in the Randolph County case; a first appearance of August 29, 2025, with $7,000 secured in Cumberland County; and lastly a first appearance of August 20, 2025, and a secured bond of $5,000 in Robeson County for a total secured bond of $362,000. 

NC man sentenced for fentanyl sale linked to Cary hotel overdose death

Read the original article on the Raleigh News and Observer website.

A man from Henderson was sentenced to 16 years in prison for selling fentanyl to a person who later died of an overdose in Cary. imaginima Getty Images

A North Carolina man whose distribution of fentanyl contributed to a fatal overdose in a Cary hotel has been sentenced to 16 years in federal prison, the Department of Justice announced Friday.

Keymon Leahke Cofield, 25, of Vance County pleaded guilty in April to distributing fentanyl and heroin, along with possession with intent to distribute. The investigation that led to his arrest began on June 13, 2020, when Cary police responding to a suspected overdose at a local hotel found a 35-year-old man dead with 50 bindles of suspected fentanyl and heroin, the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina said.

Officials traced the fentanyl, a synthetic opioid, to Cofield, who was 20 at the time. They determined he had traveled south from the small city of Henderson to Cary to sell drugs. An undercover investigation that summer culminated in Cofield’s arrest. Authorities seized 651 bindles of suspected fentanyl and heroin, and a search of Cofield’s phone showed photos of firearms and large amounts of cash.

The Department of Justice listed Cofield’s nicknames as “Keymoney” and “Boi Fat.”

Cary and North Carolina overall have seen increases in opioid incidents this century. Statewide, opioid overdose fatalities rose 800% between 1999 and 2016 — from around 100 deaths to 1,300. Cary reported 11 on-the-scene opioid overdose deaths in 2017 and the same number in 2020, the year of Cofield’s arrest. In 2018, Cary launched an Opioid Wastewater Project pilot program that sought to measure opioid consumption not by overdoses but by the concentration of opioids in sewage samples. Ten locations around the town of 170,000 were selected.

Town officials sought a new gauge for opioid use after observing deliveries of Narcan — a medication that can reverse the impacts of opioid overdoses — exceeded actual reports of overdoses.

In 2022, Cary reported 118 opioid-related incidents, a higher total than in any of the previous five years. That year, Cary received $928,360 from the North Carolina Department of Justice as part of national settlement agreements with opioid companies.

Trump signs bill making tough sentences for fentanyl trafficking permanent

Read the original article on the USA Today website.

Nearly 73,000 people died from overdosing synthetic opioids such as fentanyl, according to the government.

WASHINGTON – President Donald Trump signed a law that extends tougher prison sentences for fentanyl trafficking, surrounded by relatives of people who died from overdoses and lawmakers who approved the bill.

“Today we strike a righteous blow to the drug dealers, narcotic traffickers and criminal cartels,” Trump said. “We take a historic step toward justice for every family touched by the fentanyl scourge.”

The law places fentanyl on the Drug Enforcement Administration’s list of most serious drugs with no accepted medical use and a high potential for abuse. The list includes drugs such as heroin, cocaine and LSD. Fentanyl has been temporarily assigned to the Schedule 1 category since 2018. The law makes the designation permanent.

The law also makes permanent mandatory minimum penalties of five years in prison for trafficking 10 grams of fentanyl and 10 years for 100 grams.

“It doesn’t sound like much, but it’s a big deal,” Trump said.

The Department of Homeland Security seized 27,000 pounds of fentanyl and arrested 3,600 criminal suspects in 2024.

More than 105,000 people nationwide died of drug overdoses in 2023, including nearly 73,000 from synthetic opioids such as fentanyl, according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse.

The crackdown on fentanyl distribution is also at the heart of current U.S. trade disputes with China, Mexico and Canada. Trump imposed tariffs on those countries, citing the threat of cross-border fentanyl trafficking.

“We are delivering another defeat for the savage drug smugglers and criminals and the cartels,” Trump said.

Parents of several people who died after overdosing on fentanyl spoke at the event.

Anne Fundner, whose 15-year-old son Weston died of an accidental fentanyl overdose in 2022, previously spoke at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee last year.

“It is a lifeline for families across America for keeping our families safe,” Fundner said of the legislation. “This is what we voted for, Mr. President.”

Gregory Swan, whose 24-year-old son Drew died of fentanyl poisoning, started a group known as Fentanyl Fathers, in which parents tell their story to high schools across America.

“His passing ruined, I thought, my life,” Swan said. “There’s despair and there’s hopelessness. But we’ve been able to find some repose in going out and advocating.”

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