Three men charged in February overdose death of inmate at Pinellas County Jail

Three men have been charged with murder after prosecutors say they contributed to the overdose death of a Pinellas County Jail inmate in February.

Zachary DeCarlo, 30, Wayne Wilson, 41, and Jason Canady, 43, are each charged with first-degree murder in connection with the illegal distribution of fentanyl that authorities say led to the death of 37-year-old Jesse Stout. According to the indictment, DeCarlo brought the drugs into the prison and sold them to Canady, who, along with Wilson, distributed them to several other inmates, including Stout.

All three men said they knew nothing about the drugs or the events that led to the overdoses, the indictment says.

The Pinellas County Sheriff's Office did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the charges.

Police had previously stated that Stout was found unconscious in the sixth wing of the prison at about 1:45 a.m. on February 11 and was pronounced dead at the hospital a few hours later.

Stout overdosed one day after jail staff responded to a suspected case of fentanyl in Pod 5 of C Barracks. Jail staff responded around 6:45 p.m. on Feb. 10 after four inmates showed symptoms of fentanyl exposure. All four were taken to the hospital. One of them said he snorted fentanyl, according to the sheriff's office.

Three more, including Stout, were found hours later in Capsule 6.

The indictment describes the circumstances that led to the overdoses using several witness statements and surveillance videos.

On February 2, DeCarlo was arrested for possession of fentanyl. On the day of his arrest, DeCarlo swallowed fentanyl before being booked into the Pinellas County Jail and suffered an overdose while in custody. He was transported to a local hospital but returned to jail a few days later.

On February 10, according to the indictment, officers heard loud bangs coming from an area of ​​the prison. Officers at the prison reported finding several inmates in varying degrees of distress.

Among the descriptions: One man was blue and not breathing. Another inmate had to be resuscitated. Another inmate had rolling eyes and was given two doses of Narcan.

Surveillance video from that day shows DeCarlo entering his cell and laying down a blanket to block off the restroom area. DeCarlo then takes the blanket back down and is later seen talking to his cellmate near the restroom.

According to the prosecution, DeCarlo had a bowel movement and excreted the fentanyl he had previously taken.

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DeCarlo's cellmate told investigators that DeCarlo came to him in a panic. DeCarlo showed the witness “two or three white chunks” and said they were fentanyl.

Later, surveillance video shows DeCarlo and his cellmate approaching Canady. DeCarlo is then seen leaving Canady's cell with a large bag full of unknown items and bringing it into his cell.

The indictment states that DeCarlo negotiated a deal with Canady to sell him the fentanyl in exchange for cafeteria money and $50 through Cash App, another witness said.

Canady's cellmate told investigators that Canady showed him about 4 grams of fentanyl and asked him what to do with it. The witness said he saw Canady break off a piece of the fentanyl, put it in a glove, Write a note, wrap it in plastic, and give it to a trustee—an inmate with work assignments that allow him more freedom of movement around the prison.

In the indictment, Wilson is referred to as a trustee.

The witness “saw Canady go to the gates and talk to 'Trustee Wayne,' and when Canady returned, he no longer had the package,” the indictment states.

That afternoon, Canady is seen on video communicating with Stout and another inmate through an open slot in a cell. Later, Canady is seen on video speaking to other inmates, including Wilson, throughout the day.

The indictment states that a video shows Wilson in the prison laundry room with a black glove, which he tears apart and apparently ties back together.

According to the prosecution, Wilson was the one who ultimately gave Stout the drugs.

After several people were treated for overdoses, officials searched parts of the prison and found several items containing “powdery substances.” Further testing revealed that several of the items contained fentanyl.

According to the affidavit, a piece of glove was found in the laundry room that contained a substance later determined to be fentanyl.

DeCarlo and Wilson remain in custody, according to Pinellas County Jail records. The indictment says they are being held without bail. Florida Department of Corrections records show Canady is in jail on several other charges in Pinellas County, including extortion, burglary and grand theft of a motor vehicle. He was sentenced to a maximum term of eight years shortly after the Feb. 29 overdoses.

Times writer Tony Marrero contributed to this report.