Woman Who Passed Drugs To Prisoner Through Kiss Faces Murder Charge After Fatal Overdose

A woman was arrested for smuggling drugs into a prison and passing them on to an inmate, who later died of an overdose in Tennessee.

The accused, identified as Rachal Dollard, is held on charges of second-degree murder and introduction of contraband into a penal facility, the Tennessee Department of Corrections (TDOC) said Tuesday.

Dollard had smuggled the drugs inside the Turney Center Industrial Complex in Hickman County while visiting an inmate, Joshua Brown, in February 2022. Dollard had a balloon pellet containing half an ounce of methamphetamine that she managed to orally pass on to Brown, according to Action News 5.

"Dollard was observed passing drugs to inmate Joshua Brown as the two exchanged a kiss during visitation," the TDOC statement said.

Brown had swallowed the balloon pellet and later died of a drug overdose at a local hospital.

TDOC special agents and the Dickson County Sheriff's Department arrested Dollard last weekend on a warrant from a sealed indictment in Hickman County. Dollard is currently being held in the Hickman County jail, according to AP News.

The deceased inmate was serving a sentence of 11 years in prison when the incident took place. He was put behind bars on drug-related charges and his sentence was slated to conclude in 2029.

Meanwhile, officials have reminded people of the dangers related to bringing contraband into prisons.

"This incident points to the real dangers of introducing contraband into prisons and the consequences that follow," David Imhof, Director of TDOC's Office of Investigations and Conduct, said in a statement. "Our agency will pursue prosecution against any individual who threatens the safety and security of our staff, the men and women in our custody, and our facilities."

The TDOC also revealed that they have a number of tools in place to avoid contraband from making its way into prisons in the state. Officials are continuously conducting vehicle checks and cell searches along with strict monitoring of individuals entering the facilities. Drug detection dogs and body scanners are also employed as part of the safety checks.