Newton County Man Sentenced to 15 Years in Prison for Fentanyl Overdose Death

On Thursday, October 30, 2025, Matthew Bruce Burley pleaded guilty to Involuntary Manslaughter, Distribution of Fentanyl, and Trafficking Fentanyl in connection with the overdose death of James Nail Jr.

On December 30, 2022, Covington Police Department officers responded to a call on Hannah Street regarding an apparent overdose. Nail was transported to Piedmont Newton Hospital, where he was later pronounced dead. A toxicology report from the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) Crime Lab confirmed the presence of Fentanyl and Xylazine, a powerful animal tranquilizer not approved for human use, in Nail’s system.

Investigators determined that Nail obtained the drugs from Burley. With assistance from the GBI West Metro Regional Drug Task Force, police executed a search warrant at Burley’s home on Highway 81 in Newton County on June 21, 2023, recovering approximately six grams of fentanyl, an amount qualifying for a trafficking charge under Georgia law.

Following his guilty plea, Burley was sentenced to 15 years in prison without parole, followed by 15 years on probation.

District Attorney Randy McGinley praised the Covington Police Department and the GBI for their work on the case, saying this outcome reflects the office’s commitment to holding drug distributors accountable for the deadly consequences of fentanyl.

The case was prosecuted by DA Randy McGinley, Senior Victim Advocate Shay Payne, Trial Assistant Danielle Miller, and Legal Assistant Desiree Kozikowski. The investigation was led by CPD Lt. Daniel Digby and former Investigator Dave Stewart, now with the Walton County DA’s Office.

McGinley added, “Those who sell and distribute these drugs need to understand the harsh consequences they face for spreading this poison in our communities.”