ATHENS — Three inmates have died — and a fourth is on life support — following a series of apparent drug overdoses at the Athens-Clarke County Jail since late April, prompting renewed scrutiny of jail conditions and contraband control.

Sheriff John Q. Williams addressed the deaths during a news conference Monday, acknowledging the presence of illicit drugs, including fentanyl, inside the facility.

“We do believe we have identified the most recent source where that fentanyl was coming in,” said Williams, who added that jail staff are not suspected of involvement.

The individuals who died in custody are: Torrance Bishop, 39, who died on April 22; Shabazz Wingfield, 32, who died on May 5; and Boycie Howard, 31, who died last week.

A fourth inmate, Brent Boling, was declared brain-dead following an apparent overdose last week, according to Williams. A message seeking confirmation of Boling’s condition from the county coroner was not immediately returned Monday afternoon.

The sheriff said his office is working to implement new safety measures, including changes to how staff conduct welfare checks on inmates. The Georgia Bureau of Investigation is conducting separate investigations into each death, as well as the presence of drugs in the jail.

The deaths and overdoses are raising concerns among family members, advocates and community leaders.

County commissioner Ovita Thornton attended the news conference Monday as “a concerned citizen,” she said.

“As a commissioner, how can I help you help the Sheriff’s Department educate my colleagues,” she also asked Williams.

Williams said the jail is currently understaffed by at least 50 positions, and that the facility’s camera system is outdated.

The jail launched a program earlier this year aimed at supporting inmates, including those struggling with substance use, with a long-term goal of reducing recidivism. The program, however, serves about 20 inmates at a time, while the jail’s general population nears 500.

“We have to be at a point where we’re willing to look at resources other people have and pull them together,” Williams said.

“We try to find these resources so that not only while people are incarcerated, when they get out they’re linked to mental health resources.”

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