Federal Jury finds Memphis Man Guilty of Distributing Heroin and Carfentanil, Resulting in Fatal Overdose

Memphis, TN - After a 3-day jury trial, a federal jury found Steven McCurdy, 46, aka Stephen McCurdy, aka "Kroger Man", aka "Plug Tunchii", guilty of distributing heroin and carfentanil, resulting in death. United States Attorney D. Michael Dunavant, for the Western District of Tennessee, announced the guilty verdict today.

On May 11, 2020, victim W.B. and a witness purchased what they believed to be heroin from the defendant, Stephen McCurdy, who the witness knew as "Kroger Man." The victim and witness then went to the witness's home in Byhalia, Mississippi, where they took the drugs recently sold to them by McCurdy.

Later that night, the witness awoke and found W.B. unresponsive and called 911. First responders arrived within minutes, where W.B. was pronounced deceased on the scene. An autopsy was conducted by the Mississippi Medical Examiner's Office, and the cause of death for the victim was determined to be a combination of heroin and carfentanil toxicity.

Another witness called by the government during trial identified Stephen McCurdy as the person they knew as "Kroger Man", aka "Plug Tunchii", and as the individual who sold the witness narcotics around the time of May 2020. In his statement to Special Agents with the FBI upon his arrest, Stephen McCurdy admitted to selling marijuana and narcotics, but claimed no one had overdosed on his products.

A sentencing hearing is scheduled for July 17, 2026 before the Honorable Chief Judge Sheryl H. Lipman of the Western District of Tennessee, where McCurdy faces not less than 20 years or more than life, a fine of up to $1,000,000, and a term of supervised release of at least 3 years.

U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant said, "Heroin and fentanyl distribution cases resulting in death receive top priority for investigation and federal prosecution, regardless of the quantity involved or the prior criminal record of the offender. We commend the outstanding investigative work of our federal and local law enforcement partners, and we hope this conviction will achieve some measure of justice for the victim's family."

"The FBI is committed to removing dangerous drugs from our communities and holding dealers, traffickers, and accomplices accountable for their actions," said Special Agent in Charge Terence G. Reilly, of the FBI Nashville Field Office. "This case demonstrates the power of collaboration and our dedication to ensuring that no community is overlooked."

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Byhalia Police Department.

Assistant United States Attorneys Bryce H. Phillips and Wendy K. Caceres, and Special Assistant United States Attorney Erica Ronquillo, of the United States Army Judge Advocate General's (JAG) Corps, prosecuted the case on behalf of the government.

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