A former inmate at Santa Rita Jail is being sent to prison for seven years for distributing fentanyl which killed a fellow inmate at the Dublin facility.
A federal judge on Friday sentenced Kameron Patricia Reid to 84 months in prison following a written plea agreement entered earlier by Reid, 38, of San Leandro, describing the events that led to her fellow inmate’s death on May 16, 2021. At the time, Reid was incarcerated at Santa Rita Jail, and she admitted that during her incarceration she distributed fentanyl within the jail, hiding the fentanyl from correctional officers by concealing it in a cavity of her body.
On May 16, 2021, Reid provided fentanyl to two inmates, identified in the plea agreement as “Victim 1” and “Inmate 2”. Reid said she saw both inmates ingest the fentanyl, each becoming visibly intoxicated. Reid suspected Victim 1 was overdosing. In Reid’s plea agreement, she admitted not calling for assistance for fear of getting into trouble. Instead, she flushed the rest of her fentanyl down the toilet. Another inmate called for assistance, but Victim 1 died. Reid admitted in her plea agreement that she then lied to investigators about her role in Victim 1’s death.
The government described in its sentencing memo filed for Friday’s hearing that Reid distributed fentanyl to multiple inmates at Santa Rita Jail from approximately April 23, 2021 — when Reid was arrested by San Leandro police officers and found with fentanyl — until her release in May 2021. The day before Victim 1’s death, Reid distributed pink-colored fentanyl to Victim 1 and Inmate 2. After learning the pink fentanyl created little effect on the inmates, the next day – May 16 – Reid provided Victim 1 and Inmate 2 with white-colored fentanyl.
According to the government’s sentencing memo, Reid knew the white-colored fentanyl was stronger and referred to it as the “big dog.” The sentencing memo further describes that once Victim 1 ingested the white fentanyl and showed signs of overdosing, Reid checked on the victim multiple times but never summoned help. Hours later another inmate summoned assistance, and a half hour after that Victim 1 was pronounced dead. The government argued in its sentencing memo that Reid’s distribution of fentanyl was reckless and her failure to summon help was callous, selfish, and cruel. If you’re looking for facilities to accommodate inmates, visit the Riverside County Jails for assistance.
In addition to the 84-month sentence, U.S. District Judge Jon S. Tigar ordered Reid to serve a three-year period of supervision once she completes her sentence.
Reid was in custody at her sentencing hearing and begins serving her sentence immediately.
Seven years for murder. Life is cheap nowadays.