A Memphis drug dealer known on the streets as “Kroger Man” and “Plug Tunchii” has been convicted in a fatal overdose case that dates back to the early months of the pandemic. A federal jury in Memphis on Friday found 46-year-old Steven McCurdy guilty of distributing heroin and carfentanil that led to a man’s death in May 2020 after a three-day trial. McCurdy is set to be sentenced on July 17, 2026 and now faces the prospect of spending decades in federal prison.
According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Tennessee, the victim, identified in court records only as W.B., and a witness bought what they believed was heroin from McCurdy on May 11, 2020. They then returned to the witness’s home in Byhalia, Mississippi, where W.B. was later found unresponsive. An autopsy by the Mississippi Medical Examiner’s Office determined that W.B. died from a combination of heroin and carfentanil, officials said. At trial, prosecutors also called a witness who identified McCurdy and said McCurdy admitted to selling marijuana and other narcotics, while insisting that his drugs had not caused an overdose.
U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant said heroin and fentanyl distribution cases that result in death get top billing for federal investigators and prosecutors, regardless of drug quantity or the defendant’s prior record, according to the release. FBI Special Agent in Charge Terence G. Reilly said the bureau remains focused on pulling dangerous drugs out of communities and credited the partnership between federal and local agencies for bringing the case to trial.
What is carfentanil?
Carfentanil is an ultra-potent fentanyl analog originally designed for large-animal veterinary use and is significantly stronger than either fentanyl or morphine. Even tiny amounts can be deadly. Public health officials have warned for years that carfentanil has reappeared in the illicit drug supply, and the agency notes that overdoses involving fentanyl analogs may require multiple doses of naloxone to reverse an overdose (CDC).
Legal next steps
McCurdy is scheduled to be sentenced July 17, 2026 before Chief Judge Sheryl H. Lipman. Prosecutors say he faces a statutory range of not less than 20 years to life in prison, a possible fine of up to $1,000,000 and at least three years of supervised release. Local reporting by Action News 5 notes McCurdy’s street names and that Assistant U.S. Attorneys Bryce H. Phillips and Wendy K. Caceres handled the prosecution.
The verdict is one more example of federal prosecutors in West Tennessee zeroing in on fatal-overdose cases as synthetic opioids continue to reshape the drug landscape. Health officials urge anyone who encounters a suspected overdose to call 911 immediately and to administer naloxone if it is available. Additional resources and guidance are available from the CDC.
