Gwinnett County Police detectives have arrested Emory Clark (39-years-old, Snellville) and charged him with manslaughter under the new Austin’s Law for selling illegal drugs laced with fentanyl.

This investigation began on July 31 after officers responded to a residence on Mill Glenn Court in Lawrenceville to check on an unresponsive male. When officers arrived, they located Christian Howell (23-years-old) deceased inside a bedroom. Officers located illegal drugs inside the room with Howell and contacted detectives, who responded to the scene and started an investigation into the incident. Those investigators collected phone data, conducted surveillance, and used other investigative resources to identify Clark as the narcotics distributor that sold the drugs to Howell which caused his death.

Clark was arrested on August 13 and investigators served a search warrant at his house. During the search, they located specific narcotic packaging, similar to what was found at Howell’s house on the day he died. Detectives also located a stolen handgun. Clark was charged with aggravated involuntary manslaughter for a fentanyl overdose death, sale of a schedule II-controlled substance, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, and theft by receiving solen property.

The manslaughter charge in this case comes from the new Austin’s Law, which was signed earlier this year by Governor Brian Kemp. The law allows officers to criminally charge drug dealers and distributors for fentanyl-related deaths.