MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Texas — A man was charged with murder Friday after supplying a fentanyl-laced drug that led to the death of a Montgomery County resident, deputies say.
A new Texas law that was passed in September allows prosecutors to charge a person with murder if they supply fentanyl to someone and that person dies from the drug.
Montgomery County deputies said on October 18, the 34-year-old Montgomery County resident was found dead in a home on Magnolia Reserve Loop. Evidence on the scene indicated that he may overdosed from the use of illicit narcotics, deputies said.
An autopsy later confirmed the man died from the toxic effects of fentanyl.
The person responsible for supplying the man with the fentanyl-laced drug was later identified as James Carter-Smith. He was arrested on November 17 by the U.S. Marshal's Gulf Coast Violent Offenders Task Force in Houston.
“The level of impact and devastation that Fentanyl has had on our community and our nation is unacceptable. I am proud of the work and dedication that The Montgomery County Narcotics Enforcement Team has shown throughout this investigation in bringing criminals like this to justice," said Sheriff Rand Henderson.
Carter-Smith is being held on no bond due to the nature of the charge and his criminal history, deputies said.
This is Montgomery County's first arrest for a fentanyl murder offense.