BLUE RIDGE, Ga. — Two people have been arrested and face charges after an inmate died from an overdose at the Fannin County Detention Center.
The Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) charged 37-year-old Brandon Hicks of Mineral Bluff and 28-year-old Breanna Rodriguez of Andrews, North Carolina, with felony murder, possession of a controlled substance with the intent to distribute and possession of a controlled substance.
This comes after the Fannin County Sheriff’s Office requested the GBI regional investigative office in Cleveland to investigate the death of inmate Joshua Hughes on Dec. 12. The 41-year-old Blue Ridge resident was found unresponsive at the detention center that same day. Hughes was then taken to Fannin Regional Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
The GBI was in charge of the autopsy. According to preliminary information from both the investigation and the autopsy, Hughes died of a fentanyl overdose.
During the investigation, GBI agents learned that Rodriguez allegedly brought the drug into the detention center and provided it to Hicks. Both inmates were at the detention center at the time of the incident. Hicks then allegedly gave the fentanyl to Hughes, where he was later found unresponsive.
Both inmates remain in custody at the Fannin County Detention Center. Once the investigation is completed, the GBI will turn over the case to the Fannin County District Attorney’s Office for review.
This is a developing story. Check back often for new information.
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