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Tyrese “Ty” Stokley, 39, of Elizabeth City, was sentenced to 240 months in prison for distributing heroin, fentanyl and cocaine in the Elizabeth City area, according to a news release from the U.S. Department of Justice, Eastern District of North Carolina.

The distribution of fentanyl resulted in an overdose death on February 29, 2020, stated the release.

“Fentanyl overdoses are ravaging our communities and driving down American life expectancy. Drug dealers lacing fentanyl into their products should take note. The party is over, we are coming for you,” said U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina Michael Easley. “The defendant’s actions, which directly resulted in the tragic overdose death, show a blatant disregard for human life. Individuals should be on notice that we will stop at nothing to bring those responsible for perpetuating this overdose crisis to justice.”

On March 1, 2020, the Currituck County Sheriff’s Office began investigating the fentanyl overdose death of a young woman. “Ultimately, the investigation revealed that Stokley was responsible for sourcing the drugs that were distributed to the young woman which caused her death on February 29, 2020, from fentanyl toxicity,” stated the release.

According to court documents and information presented in court, the Pasquotank County Sheriff’s Office the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Elizabeth City Police Department, the Dare County Sheriff’s Office, the Kill Devil Hills Police Department, Nags Head Police Department, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted controlled purchases of heroin and cocaine from Stokley. The release stated that Stokley was responsible for distributing 59.99 grams of cocaine, .2 gram of fentanyl, and 45.3 grams of heroin.

Easley made the announcement after sentencing by Judge James C. Dever III. The Pasquotank County Sheriff’s Office, the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation, the Elizabeth City Police Department, the Dare County Sheriff’s Office, the Kill Devil Hills Police Department, the Nags Head Police Department, the Kitty Hawk Police Department, the Southern Shores Police Department, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated the case and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer C. Nucci prosecuted.

“This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation,” stated the release. “OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launders, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.”

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