Former Santa Rita Jail Inmate Admits To Supplying Fentanyl That Killed Fellow Prisoner

From the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Northern District of California:

OAKLAND – Kameron Patricia Reid pleaded guilty today in federal court to two counts of distributing fentanyl that resulted in the death of a Santa Rita Jail inmate, announced United States Attorney Stephane M. Hinds, FBI Special Agent in Charge Sean Ragan, and Drug Enforcement Administration Special Agent in Charge Wade R. Shannon.

In a written plea agreement entered today in federal court, Reid, 38, of San Leandro, described the events that led to the death of her fellow inmate on May 16, 2021. Reid was incarcerated at that time at Santa Rita Jail, located in Dublin, Alameda County, and she admitted that while incarcerated she distributed fentanyl to inmates. Reid hid fentanyl from correctional officers by holding it in a body cavity. Reid described that on May 16, 2021, she provided fentanyl to two fellow inmates who are identified in the plea agreement only as “Victim 1” and “Inmate 2.” She had provided the same two inmates with fentanyl on an earlier occasion. Reid admitted that on May 16 she provided fentanyl to the two inmates and watched as both inmates snorted it. They each shortly became visibly intoxicated. Reid observed that Victim 1 lapsed into unconscious and became motionless near her bunk. Reid suspected Victim 1 was overdosing on fentanyl. Reid admitted in her plea agreement that she did not call for assistance because she wanted to avoid getting into trouble. Reid instead went to a toilet and flushed down the rest of the fentanyl she had. After several hours, another inmate called for assistance for Victim 1. Paramedics responded to aid Victim 1, but Victim 1 was unresponsive and eventually pronounced dead. Reid thereafter lied to investigators about her involvement in Victim 1’s death. In her plea agreement today, Reid admitted that the fentanyl she distributed to Victim-1 caused Victim-1’s death.

Reid is next scheduled for a sentencing hearing before United States District Judge Jon S. Tigar in Oakland federal court on October 28, 2022. The parties have agreed that Reid will self-surrender into custody by 5:00 p.m. today.

Reid pleaded guilty to two counts of distributing fentanyl in violation 21 U.S.C. § 841(a)(1) and (b)(1)(C). She faces a maximum statutory sentence of 20 years imprisonment, a life term of supervised release, and a $1,000,000 fine. However, any sentence following a conviction is imposed by a court only after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal statute governing the imposition of a sentence, 18 U.S.C. § 3553.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Molly K. Priedeman is prosecuting the case with the assistance of Leeya Kekona. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Drug Enforcement Investigation, and the Alameda County Sheriff’s Office.

One Pill Can Kill: Fentanyl, a Schedule II controlled substance, is a highly potent opioid that can be diluted with cutting agents to create counterfeit pills that purport to mimic the effects of Oxycodone and can typically be obtained at a lower cost than genuine Oxycodone. Counterfeit, fentanyl-laced pills are commonly shaped and colored to resemble Oxycodone pills sold legitimately in the marketplace. Counterfeit pills known as M30s are round tablets that are often light blue, but can vary in color, and have “M” and “30” imprinted on opposite sides of the pill. Small variations in the amount or quality of fentanyl can have significant effects on the potency of the counterfeit pills, drastically raising the danger of overdoses. Fentanyl recently became the leading cause of drug overdose deaths throughout the United States.