JOINT INVESTIGATION INTO SULLIVAN COUNTY OVERDOSE DEATH RESULTS IN INDICTMENT, ARREST
JOINT INVESTIGATION INTO SULLIVAN COUNTY OVERDOSE DEATH RESULTS IN INDICTMENT, ARREST
SULLIVAN COUNTY – An investigation by the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation Drug Related Death Task Force and the Sullivan County Sheriff’s Office has resulted in the indictment of a Bristol, Virginia man on murder charges in connection to an overdose death.
In August 2020, TBI special agents and detectives with the Sullivan County Sheriff’s Office began investigating the suspected overdose death of Christopher Robin Hurley (DOB 10/7/80). On August 9, 2020, Hurley collapsed at his place of employment in Piney Flats and was transported to a local hospital, where he was pronounced dead. An autopsy revealed he died from fentanyl toxicity. During the course of the investigation, authorities determined that Anthony Lateze Robinson (DOB 6/24/87) was the individual responsible for providing fentanyl to the victim.
Last week, the Sullivan County Grand Jury returned indictments charging Robinson with one count of Second Degree Murder and two counts of Sale and Delivery of Fentanyl. Today, Robinson was arrested by officers with the Bristol, Virginia Police Department. He is being held in the Bristol, Virginia Jail awaiting extradition.
The Sullivan County Drug Related Death Task Force is a partnership between the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, 2nd Judicial District Drug Task Force, 2nd Judicial District Attorney’s Office, Sullivan County Sheriff’s Office, Bristol, TN Police Department, Kingsport Police Department, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office. The goal of the task force is to pursue those distributing deadly drug combinations that are resulting in epidemic levels of addiction and death in Northeast Tennessee. The task force receives funding through the Appalachia High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (AHIDTA) initiative, which uses a multi-disciplinary approach to address public health and safety issues that center around the opioid epidemic as well as other dangerous drug trends.
