United States Drug Enforcement Administration

CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Patrick Tylicki, 32, of Matthews, North Carolina, and his co-conspirator, Gregory Alan Kirk, 28, of Charlotte, were sentenced today for their role in distributing fentanyl that resulted in a victim’s death, announced Dena J. King, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. Tylicki was sentenced to 144 months in prison followed by four years of supervised release. Kirk was sentenced to 235 months in prison followed by six years of supervised release.

“Fentanyl kills,” said U.S. Attorney King. “It’s a lethal drug that devastates our communities and shatters families affected by accidental drug poisonings and fatal overdoses. Fentanyl dealers like Tylicky and Kirk will be brought to justice and held accountable for their role in bringing this deadly substance into our communities.”

“Dangerous drugs continue to flow into our communities at the expense of too many lives. This successful operation has ensured these drug traffickers have been taken off our streets, ultimately making the communities safer for everyone,” said Robert J. Murphy, Special Agent in Charge of the Atlanta Field Division of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), which oversees the Charlotte District Office.

“Nothing will bring back the victim nor ease the unnecessary pain the family was subjected to from losing a loved one. However, I hope knowing these drug traffickers are off the streets helps the family with grieving and aiding in closure,” said Chief Joseph A. Hatley of the Mint Hill Police Department.

“It is sad to see the impact that this terrible drug has had across our nation. With the known devastation that the illegal use of fentanyl brings, it makes it that much harder to see that some are so willing to take part in profiting from it with no concern whatsoever for life,” said Interim Chief Roy Sisk of the Matthews Police Department. “We are grateful for the strong alliance with the United States Attorney’s Office and their commitment to helping protect the citizens of our community. We also want to thank the DEA for their continued partnership in investigating these types of crimes in our area. We hope that this collaborative effort of holding Tylicki and Kirk accountable for their crimes serves as a compelling deterrent for all others.”

According to filed court documents and court proceedings, on January 26, 2021, Tylicki sold fentanyl supplied by Kirk to an individual who later died from a drug overdose. Over the course of the investigation into the victim’s overdose death, law enforcement recovered text messages
between the victim and Tylicki arranging the drug transaction. Court documents further show that law enforcement officers working undercover conducted multiple controlled fentanyl purchases from Tylicki and determined that Tylicki continued to sell fentanyl knowing that the victim had died due to a drug overdose from the fentanyl supplied by Kirk. According to court records, during a conversation with an undercover officer, Tylicki told the officer that the drugs came from Kirk, that the drugs were “strong,” that customers should be warned about their potency, and that people will “drop dead” if they don’t heed that warning.

Court documents further show that in addition to being Tylicki’s drug supplier, Kirk was present or nearby during Tylicki’s controlled fentanyl sales to undercover officers. As part of the investigation, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Kirk’s residence, where they recovered nearly a kilogram of fentanyl, which is approximately 10,000 usage units, 13 pounds of marijuana, digital scales, a pill press, a kilogram press used for preparing cocaine for large-scale distribution, and more than $4,800 in cash.

In August 2022, Tylicki pleaded guilty to fentanyl trafficking conspiracy resulting in death, distribution of fentanyl resulting in death, and distribution of fentanyl.

In September 2022, Kirk pleaded guilty to fentanyl trafficking conspiracy, distribution of fentanyl and aiding and abetting, and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl. According to court records, at the time Kirk was engaged in the distribution of fentanyl, he had three prior felony drug trafficking convictions. As a result, Kirk’s sentence was enhanced due to his classification as a “career offender” under the United States Sentencing Guidelines.

In making today’s announcement, U.S. Attorney King commended the DEA, the Mint Hill Police Department, and the Matthews Police Department for their investigation of the case, and thanked the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department for assisting with the investigation.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven R. Kaufman of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte prosecuted the case.

Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid that is 50 times more potent than heroin and remains the deadliest drug threat in the United States. According to the DEA’s One Pill Can Kill public awareness campaign, the agency seized a record of 74.5 million fentanyl pills in 2023. Laboratory testing indicates that seven out of 10 pills seized by the DEA contained a lethal dose of fentanyl.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, in 2022, more than two thirds (68%) of the reported 107,081 drug overdose deaths in the United States involved synthetic opioids and primarily fentanyl. For information and resources related to substance use disorder, please call the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357) or visit the online treatment locator.

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