SMITHFIELD – An inmate who died this year had taken heroin and fentanyl. Guards at Johnston Correctional in Smithfield found the body of 49 year-old Charles Allen in his cell on June 25, 2020.
Allen was serving a 16 month prison sentence for larceny in Onslow County and was scheduled for release on September 11, 2020.
On June 25th, Allen went to his worksite within the prison compound, according to a report from the Chief Medical Examiner’s Office in Raleigh. He spoke to his sister by telephone at 10:30 that morning. He was last seen alive by guards at 10:45am with no medical complaints.
Allen was discovered lifeless at 11:45am. Corrections officers began CPR and administered Narcan but he was pronounced dead by EMS at 12:17pm.
A brown substance believed to be a narcotic was found in his belongings. According to an autopsy report obtained by Johnston County Report, Allen died from an overdose of heroin and fentanyl. There were no signs of any physical injury to his body and no evidence of alcohol consumption.
The medical examiner ruled that his death was accidental.
The NC SBI investigated Allen’s death. Officials have not disclosed how Allen was able to obtain the illegal narcotics while in prison.
