3 indicted for murder months after deadly fentanyl exposure at Pinellas County Jail

Fentanyl murder indictment

Investigators said in February, an inmate smuggled in several baggies of fentanyl, and two other inmates distributed them. It led to deadly consequences.

CLEARWATER, Fla. - Fentanyl smuggled into the Pinellas County jail in February that led to an inmate's deadly overdose has now resulted in a grand jury indictment for murder.

According to July court documents, a grand jury indicted three inmates – Zachary DeCarlo, Wayne Wilson and Jason Canady – on a charge of first-degree murder caused by fentanyl.

The indictment said DeCarlo was arrested for having cocaine on Feb. 2, and before he was booked into jail, he swallowed fentanyl that was in a bag on the same day. About a week later, on Feb. 10, he passed the drugs and allegedly made a deal with Canady to sell fentanyl in exchange for commissary and $50 via CashApp, the indictment detailed.

Mugshots courtesy: Pinellas County Jail

The documents also stated Canady worked with Wilson to distribute the drugs. The drugs made it into the jail cells of seven inmates who were all affected, the indictment said. Inmate Jesse Stout died from a fentanyl overdose and six other inmates overdosed and were revived with Narcan before going to local hospitals.

According to the indictment, lines of the drug were made, and one inmate "admitted to deputies that they were all snorting fentanyl." Inmate James Vella was named as one of them, but he and his mother told FOX 13 he didn’t take fentanyl.

"I’ve got really bad memory loss now. I do remember being in my room and everything going dark and stuff. And then, I was woken up and somebody was pushing on my chest," said James Vella while speaking to his mother during a virtual visit. "They asked, ‘What did I take?’ and I didn’t take anything. So, I was just like I didn’t take anything."

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JoAnn Vella, James’ mother, said her son has memory loss as a result of the fentanyl overdose.

"[I] found out later on that he was dead for about 15 to 20 minutes, seven Narcans at the jail, I think three at the hospital, put on a ventilator," said JoAnn Vella.

Vella’s mother said she didn’t expect drugs, especially fentanyl, to be in a jail.

"I’m kind of shocked about it. I thought that would be a safe place for him to be where he’s safe, that nothing worse could happen to him versus being on the street. And there you go, something happened just as bad as if he was on the street," said Vella.

James Vella told FOX 13 inmates go through a body scan. Fentanyl slipping into the jail raises eyebrows for some recovery experts who visit jails.

"What does surprise me is it was able to get into the Pinellas County Jail. I mean that’s just frightening," said John Templeton Jr., the president and founder of Footprints Beachside Recovery Center.

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"I feel like it’s encroaching on all areas of our life. I mean the jail is not a social setting. But the fact that somewhere so secure that they were able to get in it, it’s like you can’t really hide from this stuff."

One of the inmates who was initially hospitalized later got out of jail and died from an overdose in Pasco County, according to the indictment.

The Footprints founder said fentanyl continues to be a dangerous and highly addicted drug in communities. So, he said it’s important for inmates to have access to recovery programs.

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