Southern Utah inmates overdose on fentanyl smuggled into jail

Two inmates in the Iron County Jail in Cedar City recently overdosed on fentanyl after fentanyl was smuggled into the facility, according to police.

Two inmates in the Iron County Jail in Cedar City recently overdosed on fentanyl after fentanyl was smuggled into the facility, according to police. (Jeffrey D. Allred, Deseret News)


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CEDAR CITY — Two inmates recently overdosed at the Iron County Jail after fentanyl was smuggled into the facility, police say.

Anthony Raymond Haddad, 29, and his brother, Michael Ziad Haddad, 21, were booked into the Iron County Jail Feb. 3 after Cedar City police reported finding them in a motor home at a store parking lot with drugs. Both were charged in that case with several drug-related crimes, forgery and obstructing justice.

The next day, two inmates overdosed on "suspected fentanyl," according to police booking affidavits. The inmates were discovered in a cell "unresponsive, one with agonal breathing and the other with no pulse and purple."

"One of the inmates who overdosed ... had to be revived by using multiple doses of (naloxone) before being transferred to Cedar City Hospital for further treatment," an affidavit states. Both inmates survived.

On Feb. 7, Anthony Haddad "was caught by an officer passing something to his brother Michael during video court. The item was confiscated and is suspected to be fentanyl," according to the affidavit.

Anthony Haddad, 29, was strip searched and police say two more bags of suspected fentanyl were discovered. He was charged for that incident in 5th District Court with drug distribution, a first-degree felony. Both he and his brother were taken to a local hospital "for an X-ray to ensure there were no more substances" hidden on them, the affidavit states. Michael Haddad was charged with drug possession inside a correctional facility.

Now investigators say they have linked Anthony Haddad and others to the inmate overdoses.

On Thursday, Haddad — who is still incarcerated — was arrested for investigation of an additional count of drug possession with intent to distribute for the Feb. 4 overdoses, an affidavit states.

Inmate David Michael Trevino, 26, was also arrested for investigation of two counts of drug possession with intent to distribute and drug possession in a correctional facility after surveillance video showed him "trading commissary items with the inmates," including those who overdosed, allegedly in exchange for fentanyl, a police affidavit says.

The two inmates who overdosed were arrested for investigation of drug possession in a correctional facility.

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Pat Reavy is a longtime police and courts reporter. He joined the KSL.com team in 2021, after many years of reporting at the Deseret News and KSL NewsRadio before that.

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