2 Charged In School Overdose Death Of Hudson Valley Teacher

KENT, NY — Two Bronx men face federal drug dealing charges in the death of a Kent man who overdosed at the Bronx school where he taught, prosecutors announced. Matthew Azimi, a 36-year-old special education teacher, was found dead on Nov. 30 inside a faculty bathroom stall at P.S. X811.

On Friday, federal prosecutors announced Kashawn Lyons, 31, was accused of selling the fatal dose of fentanyl to Azimi. He was arrested on Thursday.

Terrick Whitaker, 31, who hasn't yet been arrested, was accused of selling drugs near the school, prosecutors said.

NYPD officers found a syringe and a pink glassine bag with no stamp or other distinctive marking next to Azimi’s body, prosecutors said. Officers also recovered Azimi’s cellphone and traced the last three completed calls Azimi made to a cellphone used by Lyons, authorities said.

"Through surveillance, the NYPD learned that Lyons continued to sell heroin and fentanyl in the vicinity of the school," prosecutors alleged in a release.

In February, undercover police officers bought heroin and fentanyl from both Bronx men, prosecutors said. The drugs were packaged in the same unique pink glassine bags as the one found next to Azimi’s body.

Lyons is charged with distribution and possession with intent to distribute heroin and fentanyl, and with conspiring to distribute heroin and fentanyl with Whitaker. If convicted of all charges, he faces up to life in prison.

Whitaker is charged with distribution and possession with intent to distribute heroin and fentanyl, and with conspiring to distribute heroin and fentanyl with Lyons. he could face up to 40 years in prison if convicted of all charges.

Lyons' lawyer, Ken Womble, declined to comment to the Journal News.

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