FROM STAFF REPORTS

A western Iredell County resident faces numerous felony charges, including felony death by distribution, following a death investigation by the Iredell County Sheriff’s Office.

Sheriff Darren Campbell announced the arrest of Kenneth Ty Parent, 25, in a news release Tuesday.

ICSO deputies responded to a residence on January 13 after receiving a report about a death at that location, Campbell said.

When deputies arrived at the home, they found the victim deceased in a bathroom. Drug paraphernalia was present in the home, leading deputies to believe the death was related possibly related to narcotics use, Campbell said.

ICSO criminal investigators and crime scene investigators respond to the crime scene as well.

Detective John Adams was assigned to the death investigation. Adams conducted interviews with the victim’s family and other associates in order to determine who the victim was close to, Campbell said.

Just days before the victim’s death, he overdosed on fentanyl and was transported to a medical facility for treatment, according to the news release.

Detective Adams obtained search warrants for cellular telephone records and social media accounts belonging to the victim. Information received from those records revealed multiple conversations about drug transactions, according to the news releasee.

The Medical Examiner’s Office conducted an autopsy and determined the cause of death was a fentanyl overdose, Campbell said.

After receiving additional information, Detective Adams established that Parent sold the illegal narcotics which caused the victim’s death, the sheriff added.

Detective Adams worked with the ICSO Narcotics Investigations Division to share the information gathered during his investigation. Undercover Narcotics Operations began focusing specifically on Parent.

Undercover Investigators made multiple undercover purchases of illegal drugs directly from Parent, Campbell said.

Based on all of the evidence gathered through this investigation, Parent was arrested by deputies on February 18. He was taken to the Iredell County Detention Center, where he was charged with Felony Death by Distribution, three counts of Felony Trafficking of an Opiate, six counts of Felony Possession with Intent to Sell and Deliver a Schedule I Controlled Substance, and six counts of Felony Sell and Deliver Schedule an I Controlled Substance.

Parent appeared before Magistrate Chambers, who issued a $650,000 secured bond.

“Arrests from investigations like this are yet another tool we will utilize, when the evidence supports it, to go after drug dealers on our community,” Campbell said. “Dealers need to be put on notice: We will target you with information we receive from the community, by conducting undercover surveillance operations, performing undercover purchases, sharing information with other law enforcement agencies, carrying out suspect round-ups, and conducting investigations like this.”