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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.

Local rapper raising awareness about fentanyl overdose deaths

WILMINGTON, N.C. (WECT) – Promoter Scott Maitland and rapper “22JAX” are taking action through music and community organizations to raise awareness about fentanyl overdose deaths.

This Sunday, May 19, they are organizing a music video shoot and fundraiser at Legion Stadium from noon to 4 p.m. There will be games and activities for families, food trucks and Foz of Z107.5 FM broadcasting live on-site.

40 percent of the revenue made by the song will be donated to fentanyl awareness nonprofits like Fight4Me and FentVic.

Maitland and 22 Jax visited the WECT studio for an interview on Thursday, and you can watch that full interview at the top of this story.

Read the article and watch the video on the WECT6 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.

North Carolina man pleads guilty to death by distribution in fentanyl overdose case

HIGH POINT, N.C. —

A man charged in connection with an overdose death in 2021, has pleaded guilty to death by distribution.

Thomasville police said on May 28, 2021, they responded to James Avenue and discovered the body of 35-year-old Jacob Fields. An autopsy report revealed Fields died from a fentanyl overdose.

Grady was sentenced to serve a minimum of 100 months and a maximum of 132 months in prison or more than eight years.

Read the original article and watch the video on the WXII 12 News website.

Families push NC leaders for naloxone in all schools

Families of people who have died due to fentanyl use urged North Carolina lawmakers on Wednesday to do more to prevent other people from feeling their pain.

Fentanyl deaths are on the rise in North Carolina, state data shows:

  • 2,838 people died from fentanyl from January 2023 – October 2023
  • 2,797 people died from fentanyl from January 2022 – October 2023

October 2023 represented the most recent data the North Carolina Department of Health and Human and Human Services could provide.

Theresa Mathewson, whose son Joshua died in August 2022 at the age of 27 from fentanyl poisoning, was among the families visiting North Carolina lawmakers on Wednesday.

The group is advocating for North Carolina lawmakers to mandate having a box of naloxone, a medicine that rapidly reverses an opioid overdose, in every school in the state. Some people who attended Wednesday’s event said they were confident state leaders will utilize $350,000 of the $350 million in opioid settlement funds that North Carolina received to make it a reality.

Theresa Mathewson said she found her son unresponsive in his bedroom.

“He was getting ready to complete some tasks for a new job,” she said of her late son.

Theresa Mathewson said he son took half of a pill with roughly 14 times the lethal dose of fentanyl in it.

“[It was] enough to kill him and all his closest friends.

“It should be an eye-opener,” said Chelsea Mathewson, who is the sister of Joshua Mathewson.

The Mathewsons have started several grassroots organizations in Harnett County to spread awareness of the dangers of opioid use.

In 2022, more than 4,300 people in North Carolina died from all opioid exposure.

“Part of likes these [events] because I don’t feel alone, but I hate them,” Chelsea Mathewson said. “I absolutely hate them.

“I hate that there’s another mother and father going through it.”

Danielle Erving, whose son died from fentanyl poisoning, also attended Wednesday’s event.

“Nobody deserves this heartbreak because it can happen to anybody,” Erving said.

Jazmine Brown, whose brother died from fentanyl poisoning, echoed Erving’s sentiments.

“Nobody is safe from this, as sad as it is,” Brown said. “That’s the most important thing for people to acknowledge.”

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NC activists, families call on lawmakers to get Narcan in more schools to combat fentanyl crisis

RALEIGH, N.C. (WNCN) — Families of those impacted by fentanyl in North Carolina joined together at the General Assembly Wednesday to spread awareness on the dangers of the drug.

Duane and Leslie Locklear were just two of the many parents in attendance. They lost both of their sons, Matthew and Ryan, to fentanyl.

“We lost Matthew in February of 2022 right here in Raleigh and nine months later we lost Ryan in Pembroke. Both, again, due to fentanyl poisoning,” said Duane.

Now they’re on a mission to make sure no other parent has to go what they’ve gone through.

Fayetteville mom, Nanielle Ervin, lost her son to the drug as well.

“I didn’t know what fentanyl was,” said Ervin. “Just to find out that your loved one is gone it’s devastating.”

The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services says in 2021 more than 77% of overdose deaths in the state likely involved fentanyl.

The group said to combat the crisis they want to see more Naloxone, a drug commonly known as Narcan, in schools.

Watch the video and read the article on the CBS17 website.

Families of victims of fentanyl overdoses rally for education, Naloxone in schools

Families who have lost loved ones to fentanyl are meeting with state lawmakers Wednesday morning to talk about the dangers of the drug, what can be done to save lives – and ask lawmakers to do something about this.

Families say there’s a need for more support and public education.

Families of people who have lost somebody to fentanyl will have their photos on display here at the legislative building, so lawmakers can see the faces of people who have died in their community.

When you look at the data, more than 17,000 North Carolinians have died of fentanyl overdoses since 2013.

Several non-profits and advocates are pushing for Naloxone to be in every school in the state. It’s a lifesaving medication that can be administered through nasal spray if an opioid or fentanyl emergency occurs in a classroom.

They’re calling on the general assembly to appropriate $350,000 of an opioid settlement fund that the state controls. They also want lawmakers to provide two boxes or four doses of Naloxone to all public schools.

Barb Walsh is the executive director for Fentanyl Victims Network and is leading the charge.

“I would like to put faces instead of numbers in people’s minds because when they look at somebody who is young and vibrant and now dead, they’re like ‘oh, that could be me, my son, my daughter,'” Walsh said.

Wednesday’s press conference begins at 10 a.m. followed by a meeting with lawmakers.

Read the full article and watch the video clip on the WRAL TV5 website.

What’s a ONEbox? Eastern NC counties roll out opioid epidemic fighting tool

Two eastern North Carolina counties have adopted a new way of addressing the opioid crisis, which comes in the form of small purple boxes called ONEbox.

Two eastern North Carolina counties have adopted a new way of addressing the opioid crisis, which comes in the form of small purple boxes called ONEbox.

ONEbox is an emergency kit that contains doses of naloxone, a nasal spray that can rapidly reverse the effects of opioid overdose. The kit walks the user through how to administer the medicine in a crisis.

Wilson County was the first to roll out the ONEbox, and they’ve been placed in 78 locations so far to make them accessible to anyone.

Tiffany Hux said Narcan saved her life.

“I’m glad it did. I am so glad. If not, I wouldn’t be here for my two-year-old child,” Hux said.

Hux has been clean for 10 months after using heroin on and off for five years.

She’s overdosed more than once.

“It can happen everywhere,” she said. “You never know who it will happen to, who it will happen with and where it will happen.”

Jeff Hill, executive director of the Wilson County Substance Coalition, said the ONEbox is all about making naloxone, or Narcan, more accessible.

“We are past the point as a community that we can depend on a handful of people who can save lives. We have to be a community full of people who can save lives,” he said.

The Community Paramedic Program in Edgecombe County is also working to roll out the boxes, installing a ONEbox in Larema Coffee House in downtown Rocky Mount.

Larema Coffee’s owner, Kevin McLaughlin, said he hopes it will help prepare his customers and employees in a crisis.

“Instead of thinking, this would never happen here or to someone we know or see,” he said. “It can happen. It does happen. Every day. It is better to be prepared for than not.”

When the box is opened, users first hear a reminder to calm down.

From there, instructions walk users through how to use the overdose-reversing medicine.

“I can train you as many times as I want, but I do not know how you will react in that moment. If I can give you a tool that can walk you through that process and create that sense of calm, you’ve got a better chance of saving that life,” Hill said.

Even though she is now clean, Tiffany said she will keep the tool around just in case.

“I keep Narcan here. Even if I’m not getting high anymore, I keep it here. Just in case I have a friend who calls me and needs it,” she said.