Antuan Smith

Three individuals have been charged in federal court in connection to a series of overdoses in Minot in January that left one woman dead and sent three men to the hospital.

Antuan Jerome Smith, 25, Minot, was initially charged with four Class A felony counts of distribution of illegal drugs resulting in death or injury in North Central District Court, but the charges were dismissed earlier this month after federal prosecutors took up the case.

Smith was charged Thursday in North Dakota U.S. District Court, along with Jarren Ryell Dmann Young, 25, and Maloni Jaleeya Young, 24, also of Minot. All three were charged with conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance. Additional charges included aiding and abetting in distributing drugs that resulted in death and serious injury against Smith, and aiding and abetting in possession of drugs with intent to distribute against the Youngs.

According to court documents, a search of the deceased victim’s cell phone led investigators to a phone number identified as belonging to Smith. Smith also was identified by the three surviving victims who believed they were purchasing cocaine from him.

Minot police executed a search warrant on Smith’s residence on Jan. 5 and conducted an interview following a Miranda advisement. Smith told investigators he had met the female victim on a dating site a few days prior and said she had asked him to store a brick of white powder for her due to a recent search of her residence.

Smith claimed he believed the substance to be cocaine after conducting an internet search and sold it to his friends under that belief. Smith said he then became paranoid and returned the drugs to the victim. Court documents indicate a search of the female victim’s residence did not locate any substantive drugs or narcotics. Text messages cited in court documents indicated the female victim claimed she had one more brick of the narcotics and that Smith met with her again on the day of the overdoses.

Investigators then determined Smith had attempted to contact Jarren Young on Jan. 4, leading to a search warrant of Young’s residence on Jan. 9. Investigators found scales, firearms and manilla envelopes addressed to an individual in Las Vegas, containing more than 500 grams of white powder, compressed and wrapped in layers of duct tape. The substance was field tested by investigators and tested positive for fentanyl. The affidavit noted the 500 grams consisted of about 5,000 doses of fentanyl.

Smith and Maloni Young remain in custody in the Ward County Jail. Jarren Young was released on Jan. 19 after posting a surety bond.