Guilty plea in teacher's drug death draws 15-40 years

Amy Matton (Police mugshot)

BRENTWOOD - A Portsmouth woman pleaded guilty on Thursday in the overdose death of a Dover man.

Amy Matton, 37, admitted to supplying the methadone that killed Bryant Lausberg, 27, in May 2016.

Lausberg, a beloved Phys. Ed. Teacher at Rollinsford Grade School, graduated from Somersworth High where he was a gifted three-sport athlete.

Matton was sentenced to 15 to 40 as part of the plea deal.

She also received additional concurrent and consecutive sentences for subsequent sales and possession with intent to sell cocaine, amphetamine and dextroamphetamine, methadone and morphine to additional people.

As part of the deal Matton admitted that on Sunday, May 29, 2016, Lausberg sent Matton a text to buy methadone pills. He then drove to Portsmouth around 2 p.m., walked into her apartment and minutes later he walked out with six methadone pills. About three hours later, Bryant's girlfriend came home to find him deceased.
Bryant's and Matton's phone records, video surveillance and Matton's own statements confirmed that it was her who sold the methadone that resulted in Lausberg's death.

Additionally, continued investigation revealed that Matton continued to sell illicit narcotics after becoming aware that the sale resulted in Lausberg's death.

This investigation and prosecution was the result of a collaborative effort by the Dover Police Department, the Portsmouth Police Department, the DEA Tactical Diversion Squad, and the Rockingham County Attorney's Office with the assistance of the New Hampshire Department of Justice's Drug Prosecution Unit.