A federal judge sentenced Kenneth Omar Roger Chung, also known as “Skully”, 53, of Raleigh, NC, to 27 years in federal prison for distributing fentanyl that led to the overdose death of a 26-year-old Raleigh man, the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of North Carolina announced. He was also sentenced for conspiracy to possess with intent to sell fentanyl, meth, and cocaine. Chung pleaded guilty to the charges on May 20, 2026. Sentencing was by U.S. District Judge James C. Dever III, in case number 5:25-CR-00124-D.
“When you sell drugs, you know people can die. This isn't just everyday dealing. He chose profit over human life. Chung kept pushing poison even after he knew someone had died, just went right back out looking for his next customer. This 27-year federal sentence protects the people of the Eastern District of North Carolina for decades,” said U.S. Attorney Ellis Boyle. “The message is simple: Drugs kill. Prison follows. Do the right thing.” Spectacular Magazine's independent report of the sentencing carried the same Boyle statement and case details.
Source: Spectacular Magazine — Raleigh Drug Dealer Gets 27 Years, Oct. 26, 2026
How the investigation began
On March 28, 2023, the Raleigh Police Department responded to a 911 call and found a 26-year-old man dead from a drug overdose. Officers seized heroin, purple fentanyl powder, and 11 Xanax pills from his backpack. An autopsy confirmed he died from a fentanyl overdose. Evidence on his cell phone showed Chung had delivered the drugs the night before. Soon afterward, law enforcement conducted several controlled drug buys, including purple fentanyl, directly from Chung and his co-defendant, Jermaine Robinson, the Justice Department said. The victim was not publicly identified.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice
Two more overdose deaths — and an important limit
On October 7, 2023, Chung delivered crack cocaine to a man in Cary, who later died from an overdose, the Justice Department said. On October 23, 2023, Raleigh officers responded to another 911 call at Chung's apartment and found his roommate unresponsive; the roommate later died from an overdose. Following these incidents, investigators intensified their efforts. On October 25, 2023, Raleigh Police officers executed a search warrant at his apartment and seized 57 grams of marijuana, 29.06 grams of fentanyl, 5.09 grams of cocaine, 9.96 grams of heroin, 23.75 grams of meth, and four guns. Officers then arrested Chung, seizing additional drugs and $5,541 during the arrest. Spectacular Magazine noted that the federal announcement does not state that Chung was convicted of causing either of those two additional deaths — his conviction and sentence are for the March 2023 fentanyl distribution resulting in death and the drug conspiracy.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice; limit noted by Spectacular Magazine, Oct. 26, 2026
“The dangers of illegal narcotics are absolutely real and often fatal,” said ATF Special Agent in Charge Alicia Jones. “Illegal possession of firearms adds to that danger and the threats against our community.” Raleigh Police Chief Rico Boyce thanked the department's partners and said the work was aimed at disrupting the illegal drug trade and protecting the people they serve. The case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide Department of Justice initiative. The ATF, the Raleigh Police Department, and the Cary Police Department investigated the case.