Fentanyl exposure kills inmate at Pinellas County Jail, hospitalizes several others: ‘We’re drug addicts’

CLEARWATER, Fla. - Detectives are investigating after an inmate at the Pinellas County Jail died from an apparent fentanyl overdose over the weekend and several others were hospitalized after being exposed to the drug. 

According to PCSO, detention staff at the Pinellas County Jail were called to a possible fentanyl exposure in POD 5 of the C barracks around 6:40 p.m. Four inmates who showed signs of exposure were taken to an area hospital. 

Investigators say before one of the inmates left, he said, "I snorted fentanyl."

Pinellas County Detention Center

Three detention deputies, a nurse and a Largo Fire Department paramedic were treated for non-life-threatening injuries, according to PCSO. 

Detectives say, at the time, the exposure seemed isolated to Pod 5, which was evacuated. All the inmates were also searched. 

READ: Florida woman arrested after baby dies from fentanyl mixture

However, on Sunday, three inmates in Pod 6 in the C barracks were showing signs of fentanyl exposure.  

Jesse Stout died early Sunday morning. Image is courtesy of the Pinellas County Sheriff's Office. 

Deputies say inmate Jesse Stout, 37, was found unresponsive in his cell. Stout and two other inmates were taken to an area hospital. 

Stout was pronounced dead shortly before 3:40 a.m. Two inmates are still in the hospital and the others have returned to jail.  

READ: 3 arrested in Polk County’s largest fentanyl seizure: ‘This stuff is killing us’

Detectives say the inmates got the fentanyl from a fellow inmate who swallowed small baggies of the drug while he was being arrested. Once the drugs passed, he gave them to the other inmates at the jail. 

After the second incident, all the housing pods in the C barracks were evacuated and searched. Once the barracks were determined to be safe, the inmates returned and were interviewed. 

Detectives say when asked why they would take drugs after seeing the Pod 5 inmates overdose, they responded with, "because we’re drug addicts."