An Alabama man has been sentenced to eight years in prison for his role in the 2022 fentanyl poisoning death of Thomas Gleason, 26, during a bachelor party in Santa Rosa Beach, Florida.
The incident occurred on May 14, 2022, when Walton County Sheriff’s Office deputies responded to a medical emergency on Sand Dunes Road. Upon arrival, deputies found Gleason unconscious on the ground.
While attempting life-saving measures, three other men also collapsed and became unresponsive.
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All four were rushed to Sacred Heart Hospital. Days later, Gleason, a Ridgefield, Connecticut resident, passed away in front of his parents after being taken off life support.
Authorities determined that the group of friends from Georgia, Alabama, and Connecticut had traveled to Walton County for a bachelor party. The investigation revealed Gleason’s death was caused by a lethal dose of fentanyl found in cocaine supplied by John Nabors, 28, of Mountain Brook, Alabama.
Witness testimony played a critical role in proving that Nabors provided the drugs during the party. Walton County Sheriff Michael Adkinson emphasized the devastating consequences of Nabors’ actions:
“That single decision altered the course of an immeasurable number of lives,” Adkinson said.
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Nabors was indicted on felony charges of distributing a controlled substance causing death on November 15, 2022. He surrendered to the Walton County Jail on November 30, 2022.
On Thursday, December 12, 2024, Nabors was sentenced to eight years in prison by Judge Jeffrey Lewis. His sentence includes an additional five years of probation following his release.
Sheriff Adkinson extended his condolences to the Gleason family and the community mourning the loss:
“Our hearts ache for the Gleason family and an entire community who is still in mourning. Let this be a lesson to all of us of the profound losses we face at the hands of drugs and addiction.”
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The Walton County Sheriff’s Office thanked the District 1 Medical Examiner and the State Attorney’s Office, First Judicial Circuit, for their efforts in securing Nabors’ arrest and prosecution.
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