Butte County California Sheriff's Office: MULTIPLE OVERDOSE INCIDENTS AT THE BUTTE COUNTY JAIL

Press release from the Butte County California Sheriff's Office:

December 09, 2021

December 9, 2021MULTIPLE OVERDOSE INCIDENTS AT THE BUTTE COUNTY JAILOroville, CA - Over the past 10 days, Butte County Sheriff’s Office (BCSO) correctional deputies were alerted to three separate medical emergencies occurring inside three separate housing units. On all three occasions, deputies located the inmates unresponsive and exhibiting signs of opioid overdose. Each incident required multiple administrations of Naloxone. Also known as Narcan, Naloxone is a nasal spray commonly used to block or reverse the effects caused by an opioid overdose.By quickly responding and administering the life-saving medication, correctional deputies and the medical staff effectively saved all six inmates’ lives. The inmates were transported to a local hospital for treatment following the incidents. Five of the inmates have since recovered and have been returned to the Butte County Jail. The sixth inmate is expected to make a full recovery and return to the Butte County Jail.During one of the incidents, a correctional deputy was exposed to fentanyl. The correctional deputy was provided treatment at a local hospital and has since recovered.Correctional deputies have conducted searches of the housing units and recovered approximately .07 grams of suspected fentanyl in powder form. Butte Interagency Narcotics Task Force (BINTF) detectives were contacted and confirmed the powder as fentanyl. Special Enforcement Unit (SEU) detectives decontaminated all the affected areas where fentanyl was located.An investigation into how the substance entered the facility is being conducted, however, preliminary investigation indicates the substance was brought into the facility by inmates.Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid and a Schedule II narcotic that is approximately 100 times more potent than morphine and 50 times more potent than heroin. Butte County has seen a substantial increase in illicit fentanyl distribution, possession, and overdose cases.According to the Drug Enforcement Administration, a lethal dose of fentanyl consists of two milligrams, equal in size to a few grains of salt.###

This press release was produced by the Butte County California Sheriff's Office. The views expressed here are the author’s own.