RALEIGH – A Fentanyl dealer was sentenced today (Thursday) to 292 months in federal prison for distributing a mixture and substance containing Fentanyl that killed a 20-year-old. Shamel Nesbitt, 32, was convicted by a jury on the charge on August 31, 2022. Nesbitt was living in Smithfield at the time the crime was committed.
“Fentanyl is killing Americans in record numbers and shortening American life expectancy,” said U.S. Attorney Michael Easley. “Our overdose crisis won’t be solved by prosecution alone, but sentences like this are a warning to drug pushers who lace Fentanyl into their supply. Those who cause death will face severe consequences.”
Shamel Nesbitt was investigated by the Johnston County Sheriff’s Office for the distribution of Fentanyl, where death resulted. The investigation began on November 19, 2017, after Lucas Urbina, 20, was rushed to the hospital by several friends after using a controlled substance and overdosing. A second friend of Urbina’s also suffered an overdose from using the same substance.
At that time, hospital staff were able to resuscitate both Urbina and his friend. Urbina’s friend regained consciousness and became stable after a short period of time. He left the hospital and was approached by law enforcement when he was attempting to get into a vehicle. He was searched and law enforcement discovered he had a bag of suspected narcotics along with two syringes. While Urbina was revived, he never regained consciousness. Urbina died on November 22, 2017.
Samples of Urbina’s blood taken upon admission to the hospital were sent to the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner to see what substances were present. Test results showed a lethal level of Fentanyl. Urbina also had low levels of morphine and clonazepam in his blood. His death was ruled an accidental overdose.
Law enforcement immediately began investigating to determine who distributed the narcotics to Urbina and his friends. Text messages and dialed phone numbers showed Urbina was reaching out to someone listed as “Mista” in his phone. Officers were able to quickly link the number to Shamel Nesbitt who had given it to law enforcement as his number when he was cited for a traffic violation a few months earlier.
Law enforcement was able to access Urbina’s Facebook account and saw he was communicating with another Facebook user with a name of “Chris Nesbitt.” In the Facebook messages between Urbina and Nesbitt, it was clear Urbina was attempting to buy drugs from Nesbitt. Officers got a search warrant for Nesbitt’s Facebook page. They noticed pictures posted by “Chris Nesbitt” were of Shamel Nesbitt. Multiple messages on Nesbitt’s Facebook page reference him by the nickname “Mista.” Law enforcement received a search warrant for Nesbitt’s home and found heroin package material, nitrile gloves and marijuana.
Nesbitt made statements to law enforcement that he saw Urbina that day but claimed that he didn’t sell him any narcotics.
Michael Easley, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after the sentencing was concluded. U.S. District Judge Terrence W. Boyle presided over the trial. The Johnston County Sheriff’s Office and Smithfield Police Department investigated the case and Assistant U.S. Attorney Charity Wilson and Brandon Boykin prosecuted the case.
Way to must time joco sad for that
My brain hurts a little.
By By Shamel Nesbitt 🙂
Yo you need to chill out with all of that stuff frfr
Ridiculous!!! Confusing why 6 years to sentence him?? So quick to give this man all that time and so many deaths of young black people of the same drug and nobody has been arrested nor charged with their deaths!! The system is so messed up!!!
This is what they want of all young men of color..Thats still going on out here look at all the deaths that are happening today from overdoses. They dont care though why because its a lot of black young people dying from it..Everybodys gotta pay for crimes but we just pay for it different..
Ever heard of the story about the boy who cried wolf?
The law should be the law regardless if you are white, black or even purple. Well if you are purple you better get to the hospital.
Sentence needs doubling with NO parole options!!