DURHAM, NC (Friday, December 5, 2025 - As part of an ongoing investigation into trafficking of fentanyl in Durham County, members of the Sheriff’s Office Anti-Crime and Narcotics Unit (SAC/Narc) have charged a Durham man with trafficking in Fentanyl.

On the evening of December 4, after observing the individual engaging in suspicious activity indicating the sale and distribution of narcotics, members of the SAC/Narc unit initiated a traffic stop.  The person refused to stop, and a short pursuit began during which they were observed to have thrown items from the vehicle.  The driver did stop and was taken into custody without further incident.  The items thrown from the vehicle included a stolen firearm and a small amount of narcotics.  

As part of the investigation, a search warrant was obtained for their residence where a kilo of Fentanyl was located.

Charged in this incident is 28-year-old Jerrad Alexander McPherson.  McPherson, who is currently on federal probation, was seen by a magistrate and booked into the Durham County Detention Facility and a $2.5 million bond on the following charges:

• Felony Possession of Cocaine           
• Flee/Elude Arrest W/MV (F)  
• 2 counts - Maintain Veh/Dwell/Place Cs
• Possess Drug Paraphernalia
• Possess Firearm by Felon     
• Possess Stolen Firearm                          
• PWIMSD Fentanyl      
• PWIMSD Methamphetamine (Sch II Cs)     
• Trafficking, Opium or Fentanyl           

According to the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services, from 2000-2023, more than 41,500 North Carolinians lost their lives to a drug overdose. Recent year death data is not yet final, but an estimated 3,025 North Carolinians (8 per day) are suspected to have died from an overdose in 2024. DEA data indicates that two (2) milligrams of fentanyl can be a lethal dose. With the seizure of one (1) kilo of fentanyl in this case, the Durham County Sheriff's Office has removed enough of the substance to potentially kill 500,000 people. “When you consider the population of Durham County is just over 343,000, that number is sobering and underscores the gravity of this seizure,” said Sheriff Clarence F. Birkhead. “The Durham County Sheriff's Office is committed to fighting the opioid epidemic. We were the first in the State of North Carolina to offer Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT) for residents of the detention facility with Opioid Use Disorder (OUD) and our investigators will continue to work tirelessly with state, local, and federal officials to stop the flow of these illegal drugs.”