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On April 29, 2022, 31-year-old Quintin Lamar Freeman, an inmate of the Beaufort County Detention Center suffered an unknown medical emergency. Upon witnessing the medical emergency, fellow inmates summoned Detention Officers who in turn summoned Emergency Medical Services and immediately began life saving measures. EMS first responders arrived within eight minutes and took over and continued efforts to save Freeman, but those efforts were unsuccessful.

In keeping with procedure, the Sheriff’s Office immediately notified the District Attorney’s Office and the NC State Bureau of Investigations. The NC Dept. of Health and Human Services was also notified as is protocol.

Agents with the NC State Bureau of Investigations and Investigators with the Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office conducted the investigation.

On May 12, 2023, the North Carolina Office of the Chief Medical Examiner provided their findings which reported Freeman’s cause of death to be Fentanyl Toxicity. These findings, along with testimony and evidence gathered during the investigation were presented to the District Attorney’s Office.

On October 9, 2023, Ashun Anthony, age 24 of Washington, NC was indicted by a Beaufort County Grand Jury for the crime of Death by Distribution. Anthony, who was already being held in the Beaufort County Detention Center on unrelated drug charges was served with the True Bill of Indictment and ordered held in the detention center on $150,000 secured bond by the magistrate.

Anyone with information regarding suspected drug sale/use or any other crime are encouraged to contact the Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office at (252) 946-7111. You can also submit tips anonymously by contacting Beaufort County Crime Stoppers at (252) 974-6400 or submit confidential tips online at www.p3tips.com/195. Crime Stoppers only wants your information, not your name.