Inmate and two others charged after federal prison worker died from opening fentanyl-laced mail
by:
Jenna Curren
Aug 23, 2024
Prison mail room supervisor Marc Fischer died after fentanyl contact in Atwater
ATWATER, CA - Prosecutors have announced charges against a federal
prison inmate and two other people after a mailroom supervisor died from
opening a letter that was laced with fentanyl and other drugs.
According to ABC News,
all three have been charged with conspiring to mail drugs to a
penitentiary. Prosecutors said that Jamar Jones, an inmate housed at the
U.S. Penitentiary (USP) in Atwater, California, plotted with Stephanie
Ferriera and Jermen Rudd to send him drugs that he could sell within the
prison. Investigators said that Ferriera and Rudd disguised the
shipment as "legal mail" from a law office.
On Friday, August 9th, the penitentiary's mailroom supervisor, Marc Fischer got sick after opening a letter addressed to Jones. An FBI affidavit filed in connection with the charges states that the letter addressed to Jones contained multiple pages that appeared to be "soaked" or "coated" with drugs. The affidavit says that within five minutes of opening the mail, Fischer started to stumble around and asked for medical help, telling a colleague, "I don't feel good, it's going up my arm." He was taken to a nearby hospital where he died two hours later.
On Friday, August 9th, the penitentiary's mailroom supervisor, Marc Fischer got sick after opening a letter addressed to Jones. An FBI affidavit filed in connection with the charges states that the letter addressed to Jones contained multiple pages that appeared to be "soaked" or "coated" with drugs. The affidavit says that within five minutes of opening the mail, Fischer started to stumble around and asked for medical help, telling a colleague, "I don't feel good, it's going up my arm." He was taken to a nearby hospital where he died two hours later.
According to WCAX,
an autopsy found the officer's cause of death to be "undetermined,"
pending toxicology reports. Officials said no obvious causes of death
were found aside from coming into contact with the narcotics.
Ferriera, 35, is from Indiana, and Rudd, 37, is from Missouri. According to Fox News, between July 15th and August 9th, Jones and Ferriera had Rudd mail a package laced with drugs that was fraudulently labeled as legal mail.
Ferriera, 35, is from Indiana, and Rudd, 37, is from Missouri. According to Fox News, between July 15th and August 9th, Jones and Ferriera had Rudd mail a package laced with drugs that was fraudulently labeled as legal mail.
The Department of Justice (DOJ) said that another correctional officer
became ill after handling the package, but later recovered. Federal
officials said that the package handled by the officers "tested
presumptively positive for amphetamines, fentanyl, and 'spice,' or
synthetic cannabinoids, among other substances."
The director of the Federal Prisons released a statement saying, "On Friday, August 9th, USP Atwater and the Federal Bureau of Prisons lost one of our own. Tragically, despite swift response from his co-workers and local emergency medical services, Supervisory Correctional Systems Specialist Marc Fischer was pronounced deceased upon arriving at the local hospital following his exposure to mail saturated in an unknown substance. My deepest sympathy goes out to Mr. Fischer's family, the employees of USP Atwater, and our entire agency as we grieve his untimely death."
The director of the Federal Prisons released a statement saying, "On Friday, August 9th, USP Atwater and the Federal Bureau of Prisons lost one of our own. Tragically, despite swift response from his co-workers and local emergency medical services, Supervisory Correctional Systems Specialist Marc Fischer was pronounced deceased upon arriving at the local hospital following his exposure to mail saturated in an unknown substance. My deepest sympathy goes out to Mr. Fischer's family, the employees of USP Atwater, and our entire agency as we grieve his untimely death."
Fischer leaves behind a wife, his son and his daughter.
On Tuesday, August 20th, Jones, Ferreira, and Rudd were all arrested. Each has been charged with a criminal complaint with conspiring to distribute controlled substances and introducing narcotic drugs to an inmate at USP Atwater. Ferreira will be arraigned in the Southern District of Indiana, Rudd will be arraigned in the Eastern District of Missouri, and Jones will make his initial court appearance in Fresno. In convicted, each defendant faces between 20 and 30 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000.
On Tuesday, August 20th, Jones, Ferreira, and Rudd were all arrested. Each has been charged with a criminal complaint with conspiring to distribute controlled substances and introducing narcotic drugs to an inmate at USP Atwater. Ferreira will be arraigned in the Southern District of Indiana, Rudd will be arraigned in the Eastern District of Missouri, and Jones will make his initial court appearance in Fresno. In convicted, each defendant faces between 20 and 30 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000.
1 comment:
No more in coming postage service. Just emails for prisoners.
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