Down East trio charged with Death by Distribution following overdose death investigation

On 12/18/2023 Detectives with the Carteret County Sheriff’s Office charged Nicholas Joyner, 42, of Atlantic, Melissa Mastropierro, 41, of Atlantic, and Joel Willis, 32, of Davis with Death by Distribution pursuant to an overdose death investigation.

Joyner, Mastropierro, and Willis are currently being held at the Carteret County Detention Center and face additional drug offenses related to this investigation. The trio was charged with Death by Distribution following the May 2023 overdose death of 30-year-old Pawnee Schmitz of Davis, NC.

Joyner is being held on a $175,000 bond, Mastropierro is being held under a $150,000 bond, and Willis is being held under a $125.000 bond. They are scheduled for their first court appearances this week.

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