WILMINGTON, N.C. – A federal judge sentenced James Mason Daugherty, 33, to 25 years in federal prison for selling fentanyl which killed a 33-year-old man. Inmate Daugherty pleaded guilty on May 22, 2025.According to the court documents and other information presented in court, in December of 2021, the New Bern Police Department (NBPD) learned Inmate Daugherty sold fentanyl in New Bern. Law enforcement conducted seven controlled purchases of fentanyl from Inmate Daugherty. On May 16, 2022, the 33-year-old victim died from fentanyl Inmate Daugherty sold him.
Inmate Daugherty admitted this about his victim “that’s the third person I killed off a dope.” Daugherty named the additional two victims he admitted killing with fentanyl saying, “I gave them the dope that killed ‘em.” Daugherty also admitted to selling fentanyl to another person on the same day, and first responders rushed to administer Narcan narrowly saving another victim from dying. State officials arrested Inmate Daughtery, released him on bond, and ultimately gave him just a probationary sentence for selling fentanyl. Then, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the EDNC federally indicted him for killing the 33-year-old-victim.
When the feds arrested him, he remained detained. Following his arrest, law enforcement located and searched his cell phone and discovered that he knew he had killed three people with the fentanyl he sold them, he continued to sell fentanyl while on release and probation from the state, up until his federal arrest and detention.“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.
This murdering drug dealer won’t kill anyone else’s family member until 2050, at least. Good riddance.” said US Attorney Ellis Boyle.W. Ellis Boyle, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, made the announcement after sentencing by Chief District Judge Richard E. Myers II.
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security Investigations, the New Bern Police Department, and Craven County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case and Assistant United States Attorneys Katherine Englander and Jennifer C. Nucci prosecuted the case. A copy of this press release is located on our website.
Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for case number 4:24-CR-00013-M-RN.