FRESNO, Calif. ( KSEE/KGPE ) – The three people arrested following the death of a worker at the U.S. Penitentiary in Atwater have been formally charged by the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), federal officials announced on Thursday.
According to the DOJ, a federal grand jury has indicted 35-year-old Jamar Jones (an inmate at U.S. Penitentiary in Atwater), 35-year-old Stephanie Ferreira of Evansville in Indiana, and 37-year-old Jermen Rudd III of Wentzville in Missouri. It is alleged that they conspired to introduce narcotics into the U.S. Penitentiary in Atwater for Jones to sell.
Memorial service held for United States Penitentiary worker in Atwater
Federal officials say, as part of the scheme, the other two indicted worked together to mail a letter laced with narcotics to Jones that was fraudulently labeled as legal mail. On Aug. 9, two correctional workers at the U.S. Penitentiary in Atwater opened the letter and began to feel ill. One passed away and the other recovered.
The correctional worker who passed away was later identified as Marc Fischer. A memorial service was held for him last week . A GoFundMe online fundraiser for Marc Fischer has so far raised over $10,000 .