Six inmates overdose on fentanyl in one night inside Idaho jail
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Emily White, The Spokesman-Review
COEUR D’ALENE (The Spokesman-Review) — Six Kootenai County Jail inmates were taken to the hospital Saturday after they showed signs of overdosing on fentanyl, according to the Kootenai County Sheriff’s Office.
Sheriff’s officials say they suspect the drug was mailed into the jail.
The overdoses began with two inmates at 7:30 p.m., when jail staff identified overdose symptoms and administered Narcan to the two inmates. They were revived before jail staff moved to treat more inmates who were showing signs of overdose.
Coeur d’Alene Fire and Rescue also responded to provide medical care to the six inmates. They were transported to Kootenai Health hospital for treatment. After several hours, all six inmates were returned to the jail.
Raymond Spezzi, a 37-year-old inmate in the jail, was arrested for possession of a controlled substance inside a correctional facility. Spezzi has been in the jail for less than a month and previously was charged for trafficking heroin in 2016. Spezzi is in jail for a parole violation, Kootenai County Sheriff’s Lt. Mark Ellis said.
It’s unclear if the fentanyl was mixed with other drugs. The substances recovered after the overdoses are being tested for the investigation, Ellis said.
It’s pretty common for correctional facilities to have drug problems, he said.
“Mail is one of the hardest things to stop the drugs from flowing through right now,” Ellis said.
Kootenai County Jail is waiting for a mail drug scanner to better prevent drugs from being shipped to inmates.
The jail was searched by deputies who uncovered trace amounts of fentanyl inside cells, Ellis said.
In the last couple months, there have been six cases where inmates have been caught with drugs. Overdoses in the jail, especially six in one night, are extremely rare, Ellis said.
An investigation is underway to determine how fentanyl was obtained and distributed in the jail. After the investigation, there could be at least five more arrests for possession of a controlled substance in the jail, said Ellis.
Drugs and tobacco can be used as currency among inmates, used to pay for commissary money or phone time, Ellis said. In jail, it’s a felony to possess any drug, he said.