Sheriff reports 2 inmate deaths from smuggled drugs at South Carolina jail

Two inmates died from drug overdoses within two days at a jail in South Carolina’s Richland County, Sheriff Leon Lott confirmed. The incidents involved two different drugs, one on Monday and the other on Tuesday. Investigations are ongoing to determine how the drugs entered the jail, with Sheriff Lott suspecting smuggling either by jail staff or incoming inmates.
During a news conference on Wednesday, Sheriff Lott emphasized that someone must physically bring the drugs into the facility, dispelling the notion of them magically appearing. Drug-sniffing dogs were deployed to the jail on Tuesday night but did not uncover any illicit substances.
The overdose victims were identified as Lamont Powell, 54, who overdosed on fentanyl, and Marty Brown, 25, who passed away after ingesting Pentazocine, a narcotic painkiller that has emerged as a substitute for fentanyl.
The Alvin S. Glenn Detention Center in Richland County has been the subject of a federal civil rights investigation by the U.S. Justice Department. The probe was initiated following a series of concerning incidents in recent years, including stabbings, sexual assaults, escapes, and a riot.
During the investigation, federal authorities uncovered various issues at the jail, such as inmates being locked in cells with unsecured doors, resulting in a fatal beating, and an inmate dying from dehydration after sustaining rat bites while lacking access to water. The jail was also found to have inadequate evacuation plans for fires, unlocked key storage, and unsanitary conditions for female inmates, including a male inmate being able to access the female unit.
State investigators in late 2023 noted deficiencies such as infrequent distribution of clean clothes to prisoners and the lack of basic necessities like toothbrushes, soap, and feminine hygiene products for female inmates.