A Sallisaw woman received a 20-year sentence in Sequoyah County District Court earlier this month after admitting to selling fentanyl to a man in 2024, who later died after administering the drug.
District Attorney Jack Thorp said Ernestine M. Lawson, 43, plead guilty to a second-degree murder charge on September 8 before Special Judge Matt Orendorff.
Lawson was initially charged with first-degree murder, distribution of a controlled dangerous substance including possession with in-tent to distribute (fentanyl), unlawful use of a communication facility, possession of firearm after former felony conviction, possess firearm during commission of a felony, and unlawful possession of drug paraphernalia.
Sallisaw Police officer Cody Biles reported on the morning of Oct. 24, 2024, he was dispatched to a residence on W. Meadowlark regarding an unresponsive male. Two witnesses near the residence told the officer that they could not wake Derrick A. Johnson, 30, of Sallisaw.
Biles found Johnson on the living room floor and life saving measures were taken in an attempt to save Johnson’s life. Johnson was transported to a local hospital and then transferred to a Fort Smith hospital, where he was declared de- ceased from an alleged drug overdose of a controlled dangerous substance, according to the probable cause affidavit filed in the case.
One of the witnesses told Biles that Johnson had asked to use their vehicle earlier that morning. The witness claimed they went to take a nap and when they woke, they found Johnson lying on the living room floor unresponsive. The witness then went to a neighboring residence to seek help.
After a search warrant was issued for the residence, police reported finding a used syringe and bent spoon on the bathroom counter. A plastic baggy containing a white residue was also located, along with Johnson’s cell phone, which reportedly contained messages discussing the alleged distribution of controlled dangerous substances with Lawson.
Authorities said there were several messages between the two, allegedly inquiring to purchase narcotics, presumably fentanyl, according to the affidavit. A search warrant was then issued for Lawson’s residence at Motel 6 in Sallisaw.
In Lawson’s motel room, authorities reported finding two shotguns, a .22 caliber pistol, ammunition, plastic bags containing white powder residue, a used syringe with residue, a bent spoon containing a cotton swab and residue, Narcan, cell phones, and documents belonging to Lawson. It was later revealed that the pistol had been stolen in 1981 from a residence in North Carolina.
Tim Turner, with the District 27 Drug Task Force, interviewed Lawson. She told the investigator that she sold one single fentanyl pill to Johnson for $25 at about 8:30 a.m. because she “needed the money.” Johnson was reportedly found unresponsive about an hour later.
According to the probable cause affidavit, more messages found on Johnson’s cell phone between Johnson and Lawson corroborate that Johnson had purchased the fentanyl from Lawson.
A toxicology report released from the hospital indicated that Johnson had a high level of fentanyl in his system when he died.
“The defendant (Lawson) pled guilty to second degree murder and received a sentence of 20 years,” Thorp said. “Ten years in prison, followed by 10 years post prison suspended sentence. It is an 85% crime.”
