SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO) — There are criminal charges in connection with two recent deaths at the state penitentiary.
One of the suspects is accused of sneaking drugs into the prison. The other suspect is an inmate, already serving time for another crime. Inside the prison, inmate Anthony Richards overdosed on K-2 on February 6th. The DCI investigated and determined he got the drug from another inmate. A grand jury agreed and indicted 21-year-old Manarion Fuse on one count of Distribution of a Controlled Substance that resulted in death.
“That is a class two felony that carries 25 years in prison. Because Fuse was an inmate, there is a double counting, and so the maximum penalty will be 50 years, said South Dakota Attorney General Marty Jackley.
Fuse faces an additional count of distribution of a controlled substance.
If his name sounds familiar, that’s because we’ve reported on him before. That 2023 shooting is what landed Fuse at the penitentiary.
Authorities say 49-year-old Melibu Ross smuggled methamphetamine and cocaine into the prison and gave it to inmate Jason Garreau on May 14th. The following day, he died of an overdose. Authorities say 49-year-old Melibu Ross smuggled methamphetamine and cocaine into the prison and gave it to inmate Jason Garreau on May 14th.
“This is a one-count indictment, it is distribution resulting in death, again that is a class two felony that carries a maximum penalty of 25 years, but because she’s not an inmate, there will be no double counting, said Jackley.
Ross was booked into jail yesterday, appeared in court this morning and is now being held on 100 thousand dollars cash bond. Jackley says DCI agents are stilll investigating two other overdose deaths and how drugs are getting into the prison, for instance, the K-2 was paper-laced, meaning it was soaked into pieces of paper. But beyond that he says he can’t get into the details of the evidence at this point.
