Sacramento County inmate facing controlled substance charges dies of terminal illness

A terminally ill inmate died at a hospital Sunday morning while in custody, according to the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office.

The 56-year-old male inmate was in custody since March 23 for felony charges related to the sale and distribution of a controlled substance. He was held on $1 million bail and was scheduled to be in court in June, according to the Sheriff’s Office.

The medical team determined the inmate’s condition was “no longer treatable” and began palliative care, according to a statement from the Sheriff’s Office. His death was not COVID-19 related, officials said.

“The Sheriff’s Office will complete an inmate death investigation in accordance with Sheriff’s Office procedure and state laws,” read a statement from Sgt. Rod Grassmann.

The Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office Homicide Team, CSI and the Sacramento County District Attorney’s Office were notified of the inmate’s death.

This story was originally published May 30, 2022 at 10:15 AM.