La Grange man held on $1 million bond for alleged drug distribution in fatal overdose
A La Grange man is in jail under a $1 million secured bond after allegedly providing drugs to a 28-year-old man who overdosed and died Thursday morning.
Matthew Alex Harrell, 24, was arrested Thursday afternoon by members of the Lenoir County Sheriff’s Office’s General Investigation Division (GID), Narcotics Unit and SCARR (Street Crimes and Ready Response) Unit. Harrell was arrested at his residence in the 5800 block of Huntington Park Drive in La Grange.
The arrest came after LCSO deputies, along with Lenoir County EMS, responded to the 3700 block of Huntcliff Drive in Lenoir County because of an unresponsive subject just before 7 a.m. Thursday. Emergency personnel performed life-saving measures on the 28-year-old male, but he was later pronounced dead at the scene. His identity is being withheld until his family is contacted.
The investigation by the GID revealed the death was due to a narcotic overdose. Thanks to evidence gathered at the scene of the man’s death, arrest warrants and a search warrant were authorized and issued for Harrell.
Harrell was arrested around 3:30 p.m. Thursday at his residence and charged with:
· Felony death by distribution of a controlled substance
· Felony conspiracy to sell/deliver a Schedule I controlled substance
· Felony trafficking opium
· Felony maintaining a dwelling for controlled substance
· Felony sell/deliver a Schedule I controlled substance
· Felony possession of drug paraphernalia
· Felony possession with intent to manufacture, sell or deliver a Schedule VI controlled substance
Harrell was not given a bond Thursday due to being out of jail on pretrial release. However, he made an appearance before a district court judge this morning and was given a $1 million secured bond.
“My thoughts and prayers are with the family of the deceased victim,” Lenoir County Sheriff Jackie Rogers said. “Our entire team — including our General Investigation Division, our narcotics detectives and our SCARR team detectives — worked extremely hard in bringing this man to justice.”
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