CABARRUS COUNTY, N.C. — Cabarrus County deputies have arrested and charged a suspected drug dealer in connection with the overdose death of a 21-year-old man.
Officials said Charles Allmon died of a fentanyl overdose after buying the drugs from Kayla Taylor, 27, and Anthony Hester, 33, in January.
Taylor is charged with second-degree murder by drug distribution and felony selling of a schedule II controlled substance.
The murder by drug distribution charge was possible through the Death by Distribution bill that was signed into law earlier this year.
The law makes it a felony to illegally sell drugs that result in an overdose death. It allows prosecutors to charge drug dealers with second-degree murder and is punishable by up to 40 years in prison.
[ [ALSO READ: Gov. Cooper signs bill allowing drug dealers to be charged with murder] ]
Officials said this is the first time the Cabarrus County Sheriff's Office has charged someone with murder by drug distribution.
Hester is charged with felony selling of a schedule II controlled substance.
They are both being held at the Cabarrus County Detention Center.
In another case, Clay Scott was a gifted athlete, who loved baseball and his family. He died from an overdose in 2016.
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"He was smart and kind and loving," his sister, Amanda Scott, said. "He loved animals. He loved his family and friends. His faith was very important to him."
Angela McCorkle was recently convicted in Union County of second-degree murder for giving Clay Scott the drugs that killed him.
"The murder charge is a big deal because, I think it sends a strong message you're responsible," his sister said Wednesday.
Cabarrus County Sheriff Van Shaw said his office is taking a proactive approach to these situations, so they can find and prosecute drug dealers.
"As part of our efforts to combat the opioid epidemic in our community, we are aggressively pursuing cases in which we can clearly identify those individuals who provided drugs that resulted in an overdose-related death," Shaw said.