Defendant Gets 25 Years for Fentanyl Trafficking in North Carolina

A federal judge handed down a 25-year sentence to James Mason Daugherty, 33, for selling fentanyl that ultimately led to the death of a 33-year-old man in New Bern, North Carolina.

Daugherty pleaded guilty to the charges on May 22, 2025, after being federally indicted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of North Carolina. The indictment came after state officials initially gave him a probationary sentence for selling fentanyl.

According to court documents, the New Bern Police Department learned of Daugherty’s fentanyl sales in December 2021 and conducted seven controlled purchases of the deadly substance. On May 16, 2022, a 33-year-old victim died from fentanyl sold by Daugherty.

Daugherty admitted to killing not just the 33-year-old victim, but also two other individuals with fentanyl, saying, ‘that’s the third person I killed off a dope.’ He also confessed to selling fentanyl to another person on the same day, narrowly avoiding another death after first responders administered Narcan.

US Attorney Ellis Boyle expressed his relief at the sentencing, stating, ‘Fentanyl kills everyone it touches. These filthy drug dealers know how deadly it is, and they just don’t care. The only way to stop a murderous greedy pig like this is to remove him off the streets, away from our children and families.’

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security Investigations, the New Bern Police Department, and Craven County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case, while Assistant United States Attorneys Katherine Englander and Jennifer C. Nucci prosecuted the case. Chief District Judge Richard E. Myers II presided over the sentencing.

Daugherty will spend the next 25 years behind bars, removed from the streets and away from potential victims. The community can breathe a sigh of relief, knowing that a deadly drug dealer will no longer be able to harm innocent lives.

The case number is 4:24-CR-00013-M-RN, and related court documents can be found on the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina’s website or on PACER.

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