Santiago (CNS) – Investigations are underway on the possible drug-related death of a prisoner in the George F. Bailey Detention Center on Thursday.

According to sheriff officials, 41-year-old Jerry Aleman was found unresponsive in Otay Mesa prison shortly before 5 pm on Wednesday.

The representatives and medical staff tried to wake Aleman, but were not rescued by the ambulance staff. The ambulance staff took over the life-saving work and declared him dead on the spot.

Sergeant Thomas Sever said that during the autopsy, preliminary drug screening detected fentanyl in Aleman’s system.

“However, further laboratory tests are needed to confirm this,” the lieutenant said. “The cause and method of death (ruling) are subject to laboratory results and further evaluation.”

Aleman is a resident of Perris in the Riverside region. He was arrested by Carlsbad police on January 18 on suspicion of forgery, identity theft, receiving stolen goods and deceiving hoteliers and was sentenced to jail.

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