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.
HAMPSTEAD, N.C. (WECT) – A Hampstead man was arrested in March following the death of an 18-year-old woman from a suspected fentanyl overdose, according to the Pender County Sheriff’s Office (PCSO).
Daniel Blaine Joye was arrested for death by distribution on March 12 after he allegedly delivered fentanyl that resulted in a fatal overdose.
Daniel Blaine Joye(Pender County Sheriff’s Office)
According to PCSO and available search warrants, deputies and EMS personnel responded to a residence on Mullein Drive in Hampstead on Feb. 27 after receiving a 911 call about an unconscious woman. The victim was identified as Shelby Slye of Hampstead.
A witness told dispatch she saw a man dragging a woman toward a car. The witness, a nursing student, began CPR on Slye.
Warrants state Joye told deputies he found Slye unresponsive but breathing and tried to get her into a car to take her to the hospital. He said he noticed blue discoloration around her lips and shallow breathing. Slye was transported to Novant Health New Hanover Regional Medical Center in Wilmington, where she was pronounced dead on Feb. 28.
Warrants also state Joye allegedly told deputies at the scene that Slye had a history of narcotics abuse and had consumed a fifth of liquor during the day. However, hospital employees later told detectives Slye’s toxicology report showed no signs of alcohol use, according to records.
Detectives served a search warrant at the Mullein Drive residence on March 1. During the search, Joye was found in possession of fentanyl and was arrested. The fentanyl was packaged in wax paper bindles stamped “We The Best.”
A second search warrant led to the seizure of additional fentanyl packaged in the same bindles, empty bindles with the same stamp, marijuana, drug paraphernalia and cell phones belonging to Joye and Slye, according to records.
The warrant states a woman at the residence told detectives Joye routinely purchases fentanyl and other narcotics and provided fentanyl to Slye on a regular basis. Records state the woman said she believed Joye was Slye’s source of illegal narcotics.
Detectives attended Slye’s autopsy on March 3 at Onslow Memorial Hospital. The search warrant states presumptive fentanyl urine test showed a positive indication of fentanyl in Slye’s urine.
On March 12, detectives secured additional charges against Joye related to the overdose death. Joye faces the following charges:
Felony death by distribution
Possess with intent to manufacture, sell, deliver Schedule II (three counts)
Deputies arrested Zachary Robert Shaw, 41, and Lakayla Chasity Davis, 28, during a traffic stop on Tuesday. Their arrest comes as deputies said narcotics agents were investigating citizen drug complaints on Deep River Road during the time of the traffic stop.
Zachary Shaw and Lakayla Davis face charges.
Two people were arrested in Lee County after deputies found drugs and a gun inside a car with three children in it during a traffic stop on Tuesday on Hawkins Avenue.
Deputies said narcotics agents were investigating citizen drug complaints on Deep River Road during the time of the traffic stop.
uring the stop, deputies said they found methamphetamine, drug paraphernalia and a gun in possession of a felon. Three children were also inside the car during the stop, deputies said.
Deputies arrested the two occupants in the car, Zachary Robert Shaw, 41, and Lakayla Chasity Davis, 28.
Shaw is charged with possession of a firearm by a felon and is being held without bond.
Davis is charged with felony possession of a schedule II-controlled substance, three counts of exposing a child to a controlled substance, possession of drug paraphernalia and possession of marijuana up to half an ounce. She is being held on a $31,000 secured bond.
Deputies said both Shaw and Davis also had outstanding warrants for arrest out of Chatham County for larceny.
WILMINGTON, N.C. – A federal judge sentenced Ahmod Talley to over 10 years in federal prison for selling fentanyl, heroin, and cocaine in Franklin County. On January 14, 2026, Inmate Talley pleaded guilty to conspiracy to sell and possess with the intent to sell heroin, fentanyl, and cocaine, possession with intent to sell heroin and fentanyl, possession with intent to sell cocaine, and two counts of possession of a gun in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
“We recognize the devastating impact drug addiction and overdoses have on families in our communities. This sentence sends a message, understand clearly: when you sell deadly poison to our kids and families just to make a little bit of money, you will pay serious consequences. Dope dealers lose their freedom for decades. This prolific drug dealer earned every day of his prison sentence, and the residents of Eastern North Carolina will be safer while he’s locked up. Simple Lesson: Drugs Kill, Prison Awaits – Do Right.” said U.S. Attorney Ellis Boyle.
The investigation into Inmate Talley’s drug dealing started after a fatal drug overdose in Franklin County. Franklin County Sheriff’s Office (FCSO) and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) investigated and determined that Inmate Talley sold fentanyl to the victim three days before the death. Ultimately, law enforcement pulled Inmate Talley over, and found a loaded .40 caliber handgun, bindles of fentanyl labeled “Try This” (like the ones found in the overdose victim’s house) and bindles perversely labeled “Life Support.” Law enforcement searched Inmate Talley’s house, finding a .380 caliber pistol, cocaine, and marijuana. They also searched Inmate Talley’s grandmother’s house, where they found a rifle and 350 bindles of a heroin and fentanyl mix stamped “Life Support” and, apparently marketed at children, “Goosebumps.”
“Today’s sentence underscores the power of coordinated law enforcement efforts to hold drug dealers accountable when their actions cost someone their life,” said Mark M. Zito, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations Charlotte. “Through the combined work of the FCSO, HSI, and our partners in the Eastern District of North Carolina, HSI remains committed to targeting those who distribute lethal fentanyl and other narcotics in our communities at the expense of public safety.”
Ellis Boyle, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, made the announcement after sentencing by Chief U.S. District Judge Richard E. Myers II. FCSO and HSI investigated the case, and Assistant United States Attorney Casey L. Peaden prosecuted the case.
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.”
WILMINGTON, N.C. (WECT) – Two people have been arrested after a child was removed from a home deemed unsafe by the Columbus County Department of Social Services.
The Columbus County Sheriff’s Office (CCSO) said it is investigating a child endangerment case after a referral about suspected substance abuse.
CCSO officials said that Lynn Richardson and Katelynn Richardson, the primary caregivers, were charged with exposing a child to a controlled substance and exposing a child to a controlled substance by ingestion.
According to arrest warrants, the child was 6 years old. Investigators allege the child had ingested and been exposed to methamphetamine.
Both caregivers were arrested and are being held on a $35,000 secured bond each.
The incident remains under investigation, and officials said additional charges are possible pending further medical and forensic evaluations.
BUNCOMBE COUNTY, N.C. (WSPA) – The Buncombe County Sheriff’s Office has filed charges against two people after a child was exposed to illegal drugs.
The Buncombe County SRO division said on February 11, a child was brought to school experiencing symptoms of an exposure to illegal drugs. Detectives opened an investigation along with the Buncombe County Department of Social Services.
As part of the investigation, a search warrant was executed on February 25 at a home on Crofoot Trail in Woodfin.
Ashley Elizabeth Cook and Shane Kurt Gurley were both charged with exposing a child to a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia. Gurley was also served with an order for arrest for failing to appear in court.
North Carolina General Statute 14-318.7, exposing a child to a control substance, is a new law that went into effect on December 1, 2025.
“Children are dependent on their caregivers for a safe environment in which they can grow and thrive,” said Buncombe County District 2 Captain Chris Stockton. “We are proud of the efforts of our team who passionately sought to bring accountability for the victim in this incident. Our hearts go out to the victim in this situation, and we hope these efforts facilitate a safe environment in which to grow and thrive for years to come.”
Officials said the child and other family members are receiving aid.
