The Scioto County Sheriff says a McDermott Ohio man with a long arrest record smuggled fentanyl into his cell at the county jail and then left the drugs behind for his cellmates when he got out on bail. His three cellmates overdosed on the drugs, and one of them died.
According to Sheriff David Thoroughman, 43-year-old Perry L. Steele was arrested back on June 18 by Portsmouth Police. Officers put him through a scanner to check for contraband and then placed him in a holding cell. However, that scan missed the fentanyl Steele had on his person. Steele had previously been arrested 37 times, including 5 previous times in 2022 alone. The Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Corrections released him on parole for Assault and Burglary charges back in September of 2021. According to jail records, he’s been arrested 4 times for parole violations since then.
When Steele was let out on bail, he left the drugs behind. His three cellmates later overdosed on the dangerous drug. When corrections officers found 23-year-old Cory William Cantrell unresponsive in his cell, they immediately provided emergency medical treatment and sent for an ambulance.
First responders transported Cantrell to Southern Ohio Medical Center but he was pronounced dead. His body was sent for autopsy in Montgomery County
Investigators were able to determine what happened by interviewing other inmates, watching camera footage, and interviewing the jail staff.
According to Sheriff Thoroughman, Steele is charged with:
- Involuntary Manslaughter
- Trafficking in Fentanyl
- Fentanyl Possession
- 3 Counts of Trafficking in Drugs
- Possession of Drugs
- Illegal Conveyance of Drugs into a detention facility
- Parole violation
He is currently held without bond.
Anyone with information on this case should contact Detective Sergeant Jodi Conkel at 740-351-1091.
*Law Enforcement does not determine bond amounts, jail terms, or release dates. Those are determined by the courts.