Hamilton County, TN - On Thursday, July 25, 2024, Hamilton County Corrections Deputies were notified of a possible overdose in the women’s housing unit. This was the third overdose to occur within (36) hours. In each incident, a female inmate was found unresponsive, and medical staff administered Narcan after which the inmate began to recover. All three inmates were transported to a local hospital, treated, and released back into the jail’s custody.

During the subsequent investigation, HCSO detectives in Investigative Services were able to determine the source of the narcotics was inmate Laurel Skye Cruse. When confronted and questioned by Corrections Deputies, Cruse voluntarily removed approximately (1.76) grams of Fentanyl she had concealed within a black rubber glove within her vagina. During the interview, Cruse admitted to smuggling the Fentanyl into the facility when she was arrested.

"Sheriffs across this nation are dealing with the distribution of illegal narcotics not only throughout our communities but also within our correctional facilities at an unprecedented rate, posing a severe threat to the safety and well-being of the inmates in our custody and our corrections personnel. This dangerous poison is indiscriminately killing our citizens and from a correctional perspective, it hinders our rehabilitation efforts, fuels violence, and exacerbates the daily challenges faced by our corrections deputies. Your Sheriff’s Office remains steadfast in our commitment to implementing rigorous security measures and disrupting the smuggling of narcotics not only inside the Hamilton County Jail but throughout our community as well," stated Sheriff Austin Garrett.

Detectives charged Cruse with Possession of Fentanyl for Resale and Contraband in a Penal Institution.

Additional charges may be pending after discussions with the District Attorney’s Office.