Man pleads guilty to selling fentanyl pills that killed two teens in Belmont

GASTONIA, N.C. — A man who admitted to causing the death of two teens in Belmont apologized to their families in court.

Channel 9’s Ken Lemon had the only camera in court for Sage Wright’s plea.

The victims’ families said the teenage boys had no idea the pills they bought were laced with fentanyl. Prosecutors say after their deaths, the man who sold them the drugs got more pills.

Wright asked the judge to allow him to address the families of the teens he admitted to killing.

“I’m sorry,” he said in court. “That’s all I can say.”

Wright told them he had a drug addiction, but said that’s not what caused the deaths of 16-year-old Nicholas Collins or 17-year-old Clint Herd, Jr.

“I don’t want to not accept responsibility because I’m responsible,” said Wright. “My bad decisions are responsible.”

The prosecutor said in January of 2023, the teens arranged a meeting to buy pills from Wright. Later that night, Nicholas’ father made a heartbreaking discovery.

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“Closing up the house for the night, the family dog altered him to something going on in Nicholas’ bedroom,” said Phillip Baetjer, a prosecutor.

Nichols’ father found the teens dead of a fentanyl overdose.

An investigation led police to arrest Wright at his home in Belmont. He was 21-years-old then.

“He admitted that after their deaths, he reupped his supply of pills,” Baetjer said.

The victims’ families filled the courtroom.

“This is not a pain that fades with time,” said Alesha Collins, Nichols’ mother. “It is one that must be carried for the rest of my life.”

“We live the rest of our lives with a hole that will never close,” said Logan Hardin, Herd’s sister.

“I forgive you, but unfortunately I will never be able to forget,” said Kaitlyn Barret, Herd’s other sister.

Wright left court to serve a minimum of 20 to 27 years in prison. His attorney says that means he gets out of prison when he is as young as 43-years-old.

Family members of the two victims made the point that they will never see their loved ones again.

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