Report reveals drug found in Georgetown Co. inmate overdose investigation

GEORGETOWN, S.C. (WCSC) - The South Carolina Law Enforcement Division’s toxicology lab released details of their initial report on blood tests from two inmates who overdosed earlier this month.

Sheriff Carter Weaver said that report indicated samples from both inmates, one of whom died from an overdose, tested positive for the presence of fentanyl.

Inmate Shelby Ashby, 23, and a 34-year-old inmate were found unresponsive in their cells after ingesting illicit drugs smuggled into the jail, deputies said. Ashby died from the overdose and the other inmate was treated at an area hospital and released back into custody.

Kelly Lambert, 45, who was serving a sentence on weekends for a traffic charge, is accused of smuggling the drug into the jail and faces additional charges of furnishing contraband to a county jail and distribution of Schedule I drugs, deputies say.

The information from SLED will help guide the course of the continuing multi-agency investigation into the incident, Georgetown County Sheriff’s spokesperson Heather Pelham said.

Weaver gave a second update on the investigation on Wednesday, saying one person has been relieved of duty and the officer, who was in charge of booking that day, has been fired. Officials said the employee who was relieved of duty was moved to a lower position outside of the detention center.

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