An Iredell County man has been sentenced for his involvement in a death by distribution case that began in 2022, stemming from an overdose. Dakoda Michael Drake, 27, accepted a plea agreement last Tuesday and was given a prison sentence for involuntary manslaughter and delivery of a Schedule I controlled substance, alongside an additional sentence for a probation violation, according to QC News.
Reports indicate that on July 23, 2022, authorities found Julius Chance Gunter, 26, unresponsive at a residence on Hickory Highway in Statesville. Despite efforts to save him, including the administration of NARCAN, Gunter passed away in a local hospital due to an accidental overdose involving fentanyl. Following an investigation, Drake was arrested on November 24, 2023, on a charge of felony death by distribution, having already faced charges of felony obstruction of justice and was on probation for felony possession of a weapon by an inmate. WCCB Charlotte reported that Drake was sentenced to a cumulative term ranging from 19 to 32 months for the charges related to the overdose, with an additional 6 to 17 months for violating his probation.
Sheriff Darren Campbell has expressed his concerns regarding the presence of fentanyl in the community, stating, "Fentanyl is a deadly drug that is taking far too many lives, and we will continue to hold those who distribute it accountable. This poison has no place in our community, and we will use every resource available to keep it off our streets and out of the hands of our citizens," as noted in the WCCB Charlotte coverage.
Drake entered his guilty plea during Iredell County Superior Court proceedings and received a sentence that ranges between one year and six months to two years and eight months for the charges directly associated with the overdose. He was also given an additional six months to one year and five months of probation for his probation violation, as per information from the sheriff's office relayed by Statesville. This case underscores the ongoing tragedy of opioid overdoses and the legal repercussions for those involved in the distribution of such potent substances.
