State says inmate died of suspected drug overdose

ANCHORAGE — A 36-year-old inmate at the Anchorage Correctional Complex died in April of a suspected drug overdose, and officials said Monday they are investigating how he had illegal drugs in jail.

Brian Pinkerton was found unresponsive in his jail cell and later pronounced dead April 21.

“We believe that Pinkerton died as a result of shooting up drugs in prison,” Alaska Department of Corrections spokesman Corey Allen-Young said, adding that they believe the cause of death was from a combination of methamphetamine and heroin.

A small pouch of heroin was found in a body cavity, and Pinkerton’s arms showed recent signs of intravenous drug use, Allen-Young said.

Department of Corrections Commissioner Dean Williams said in a release that Pinkerton’s death is exactly why an investigation continues to find out how drugs are getting into correctional institutions across Alaska.

“The trafficking of drugs is a major concern of all DOC employees, especially correctional officers tasked with maintaining safety,” he said. “Through the Professional Conduct Unit and partner law enforcement agencies, our goal is to eliminate the problem and make the institutions safer for inmates and staff.”

Last month, an Alaska Department of Corrections officer was arrested on federal drug charges. Adam Jason Spindler, 32, is suspected of a heroin-distribution plot at a state prison. Spindler was arrested after a bag he carried to Goose Creek Correctional Center near Wasilla was found to contain 1.67 grams, or about 16 doses, of heroin.

“DOC is committed to transparency, and we want the public to understand the scope of this issue,” Allen-Young said Monday. “We do think this is a problem, and we are committed to going after the problem with our partners in law enforcement and this Professional Conduct Unit.”

Pinkerton had been in the Anchorage jail on burglary and forgery charges and multiple probation violations since Jan. 8.

Pinkerton suffered from a long-term medical condition, which officials on Monday would not disclose. However, the department had said he had undergone a medical examination the day before he died, and it didn’t indicate any problems.

The corrections department had earlier said Pinkerton had spent time in a specialized medical unit but was allowed to return to the prison’s general population.

All prisoner deaths are reviewed by Alaska State Troopers and the State Medical Examiner’s Office. The corrections department also conducted an internal review.

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