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Santa Barbara man charged with murder in connection with overdose death

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A Santa Barbara man has been charged with murder and other felonies in connection with the overdose death of another man in April this year, police announced on Tuesday.

On April 29, police responded to the 100 block of State St. in Santa Barbara for a report of a body. Officers found a 30-year-old man had died with narcotics and drug paraphernalia with him.

His death was discovered to be from a fentanyl overdose.

Santa Barbara Police Detectives and investigators with the Santa Barbara County District Attorney looked into the death. Based on the investigation, they allege Dillon James Joseph Johnson, 34, of Santa Barbara distributed the fentanyl to the man, which caused his death.

A county superior court judge authorized a search warrant, and on Thursday, Sept. 1, police served the warrant and arrested Johnson in the 7100 block of Hollister Ave. in Goleta.

In a search following Johnson's arrest, police found fentanyl and other narcotics. They believe he had the drugs with the intention of selling them.

Johnson was booked at the Santa Barbara County Jail for murder and multiple felony narcotics charges.

His bail is set at $1,000,000.

Johnson is set to be arraigned Tuesday in Department 8 of the Santa Barbara Superior Court.