Zada Louise Lail
Robbinsville – A new admin session has been scheduled for the second person charged with “death by distribution” in the history of the county.
Zada Louise Lail – 54, of Robbinsville – is due back for the session March 1, 2024. She has been in detention since May 12, when she was arrested on a true bill of indictment for the alleged death by distribution of 33-year old Dalton Varnel Anderson.
Anderson passed away March 31, 2022, after overdosing on 19 nanograms of fentanyl and methamphetamine; 0.5 nanograms is considered fatal.
Lail’s bond is $15,000.
She is facing other charges along with her death by distribution charge. Lail was arrested on April 20, 2022 for trafficking in methamphetamine and possession of methamphetamine.
On Aug. 2, she was also charged with assault inflicting serious injury on law enforcement and communicating threats.
Senate Bill 189, “Fentanyl Drug Offense and Related Changes,” was recently signed into law to increase penalties for the death by distribution law. Changes to the law will go into effect Dec. 1.
With the new law, the punishment for death by distribution is a class C felony, which carries automatic prison time.
Higher penalties apply in situation where the person acts with malice or has previous conviction for controlled substances.