2 inmates charged with bringing fentanyl into Bradley County Jail

Matthew Howell, Rosa Rodriguez (From Bradley County Sheriff’s Office)

CLEVELAND, Tenn. (WDEF) — Two inmates at the Bradley County Jail face charges of bringing fentanyl into the jail.

According to the Bradley County Sheriff’s Office, two overdoses took place in the jail in June.

On June 11, the jail began searching inmates following the first overdose. While transporting Matthew Howell, the sheriff’s office said he dropped a bag with drugs.

(From Bradley County Sheriff’s Office)

The 10th Judicial Drug Task Force agents saw Howell drop the bag while watching security cameras. Those agents “recognize the pills to be consistent with counterfeit pills containing fentanyl.”

Then on June 24, another overdose took place. Detectives began investigating and found Rosa Rodriguez to be in possession of about 60 fentanyl pills.

The drug task force charged both Howell and Rodriguez with introduction of fentanyl into a penal institution. They also charged Rodriguez with possession of fentanyl for resale.

(From Bradley County Sheriff’s Office)