BATON ROUGE, La. (BRPROUD) – Authorities say a 41-year-old inmate at the East Baton Rouge Parish Prison died as a result of an overdose earlier this month.
According to the East Baton Rouge Sheriff’s Office (EBSO), Keith Rushing was one of two inmates who were found suffering from an overdose last Wednesday (September 7).
Both were rushed to an area hospital, where Rushing passed away.
The second inmate recovered. Authorities have identified the surviving man as 28-year-old Dewayne Powell.
They believe that Powell and his girlfriend, a woman named Ebony Bailey, are responsible for orchestrating the smuggling of drugs into EBR Prison.
According to detectives, before Powell was arrested, he acquired over $38,000 worth of drugs and stashed them at Bailey’s apartment.
After Powell was jailed, he allegedly had Bailey package the narcotics and then purchase a blend of opiates that are commonly referred to as mojo.
Bailey is accused of smuggling the mojo into EBR Parish Prison last Wednesday (September 5). Detectives say she hid the drugs inside of an electric toothbrush and then threw the toothbrush over the prison fence, where it landed in the recreation yard.
Officials add that Powell got to the toothbrush by ripping a toilet off one of the facility’s walls and making his way into the recreation yard.
Authorities say he and Rushing then smoked and snorted the drugs until they suffered an overdose.
EBRSO detectives worked with members of the DEA Task Force and other law enforcement agencies to arrest Bailey at her apartment.
Authorities say they found multiple drugs in the home (which are listed below) and that a small child was also present when the warrant was issued.
She was charged with Principle to Distribute Fentanyl, Entering Contraband into a Penal Institution, PWITD Schedule 2-Fentanyl, PWITD Schedule 2-Cocaine, PWITD Schedule 2- Meth, PWITD 2 Marijuana, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia and Possession of a Controlled Dangerous Substance in the Presence of a Juvenile.
Her imprisoned boyfriend, Powell, was also charged with Distribution of Schedule 2 Narcotics- Fentanyl, Entering Contraband into a Penal Facility, Simple Escape, Simple Criminal Damage to Property, PWITD Schedule 2-Fentanyl, PWITD Schedule 2-Cocaine, PWITD Schedule 2- Meth and PWITD 2 Marijuana. Powell was initially booked into EBR Parish Prison on August 27th by BRPD for Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon and Illegal Possession of Stolen Firearms.
EBRSO confiscated the following items from Bailey’s apartment:
- 15.3 oz of Fentanyl (approximately street value $38,250)
- 15.3 oz of Fentanyl (approximately street value $38,250)
- 1.5 oz of Methamphetamine
- 19.8 grams of Cocaine
- 2.58 oz of marijuana
- 36 dosage units of Xanax
- Numerous blenders with residue used to cut Fentanyl
- $2,040
Rushing, the deceased inmate, had originally been arrested on drug-related charges in Texas, on January 21 of this year.
He was later transferred to EBR Parish Prison, which is where he came into contact with Powell and allegedly participated in the incident that led to the fatal overdose.
