Four inmates at the Humboldt County Jail overdosed on fentanyl over the weekend, according to the sheriff’s office; all were saved by emergency doses of Narcan | Lost Coast Outpost

Humboldt County Correctional Assistants and medical staff at the Humboldt County Correctional Facility used medication to rescue four people suspected of fentanyl overdose.

Over the past weekend, correctional assistants were alerted to four separate medical emergencies occurring inside the same dwelling. On all four occasions, MPs located inmates unconscious and showing signs of opioid overdose. Each incident required several administrations of Naloxone. Also known as Narcan, naloxone is a nasal spray commonly used to counteract decreased breathing caused by an opioid overdose.

By responding quickly and administering life-saving medication, correctional assistants effectively saved the lives of the four inmates. The detainees were transported to a local hospital for treatment following the incidents and are expected to recover.

Correctional assistants conducted multiple searches of the home and recovered approximately 15 grams of fentanyl in various forms.

Inmate Dustin Andrew Lawler, 36, was in possession of 13 grams of pills containing fentanyl, Xanex and morphine. A new charge of possession of a controlled substance in a correctional facility (CP 4573.6) has been added to their reservation.

Inmate Daniel Ray Gonzales, 30, was in possession of 2 grams of fentanyl. A new charge of possession of a controlled substance in a correctional facility (CP 4573.6) was also added to his reservation.

An investigation into how the substance entered the facility is ongoing, however, a preliminary investigation indicates that the substance was smuggled by the two inmates.

Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid and Schedule II narcotic that is approximately 100 times more potent than morphine and 50 times more potent than heroin. Humboldt County has seen a substantial increase in the distribution, possession and illicit overdose of fentanyl, including an alarming number of overdose deaths.

According to the Drug Enforcement Administration, a lethal dose of fentanyl consists of two milligrams, equal in size to a few grains of salt. As of July 1, 2021, the Humboldt County Coroner’s Office had responded to 15 fentanyl overdose deaths.

Due to the increasing prevalence of fentanyl in our community, correctional assistants in Humboldt County were equipped to transport naloxone and received training in its administration.

Humboldt County Sheriff William Honsal commends correctional assistants and medical staff for their swift actions in saving four lives.