Cary man charged with death by distribution after man dies from drug overdose

A Cary man has been arrested and charged after authorities said he contributed to the death of a 51-year-old man.

Allen David Wendel, 41, was charged with felony death by distribution, a new charge that was added to the state law in 2019.

The law allows law enforcement officials to charge people who they suspect sold drugs to someone who later died from an overdose.

Wendel is being charged in the death of a Chapel Hill man who had fentanyl, heroin and cocaine in his system when he died, according to the Chatham County Sheriff's Office.

This is the second death by distribution arrest made by the sheriff's office this week.

Samantha Carolina Biehl, 38, from Sanford, was arrested and charged this week in connection to the death of a Siler City resident in March 2021.

The sheriff's office said it has spent more than a year investigating these two deaths. Authorities said that they anticipate more drug dealers to face charges in the coming months.

Chatham County Sheriff Capitan Ronnie Miller said that these arrests show the office's commitment to public health.

"We recognize that drug abuse and addiction impacts us all," he said in a statement.

Wendel was given a $125,000 secured bond and is scheduled to appear in court on Sept. 12.