Lenoir Woman Sentenced in Inmate Overdose Death Case
Lenoir County Woman Convicted in Death by Distribution Case Following Inmate Overdose Receives a Minimum of 15 Years in Prison.
On June 23, 2025, Kristen Nichole Graham of Tilghman Mill Road, was convicted in Lenoir County Superior Court of Death by Distribution in connection to the January 2024 overdose death of an inmate at the Lenoir County Detention Center.
On January 20, 2024, detention staff discovered Stephanie Osowski unresponsive in her cell. Despite immediate life-saving efforts, Osowski was pronounced deceased. An investigation was launched by the Lenoir County Sheriff’s Office and the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation (SBI), which determined that the death was the result of a drug overdose.
Evidence collected during the joint investigation revealed that Kristen Nichole Graham was responsible for providing the controlled substance that led to Osowski’s death. As a result, Graham was charged with Death by Distribution.
On June 23, 2025, Graham was found guilty and sentenced to a minimum of 180 months and a maximum of 228 months in the North Carolina Department of Adult Correction.
“This conviction sends a strong message: those who provide illegal drugs—especially in secure facilities—will be held accountable for the devastating consequences of their actions,” said Sheriff Jackie Rogers.
Sheriff Rogers thanked the SBI and the District Attorney’s Office for their partnership in the investigation and prosecution of this case.
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