Marysville, Ca. – On Wednesday, November 2, 2022, correctional officers at the Yuba County Jail were alerted of an inmate in distress and provided emergency medical treatment until paramedics arrived. Despite multiple life-saving efforts, which included repeated doses of Narcan, inmate Matthew D. Perez was pronounced dead at Adventist Health and Rideout in Marysville.
The completed toxicology report indicates Perez died from fentanyl poisoning. It is unclear how the synthetic opioid made its way into the Yuba County Jail, however the investigation is still on-going. Standard procedure for this type of incident entails the jail staff to immediately lockdown the facility and thoroughly search every cell. The jail supervisor contacts the Sheriff, and a formal investigation is opened. Beginning in early 2023, the Yuba County Jail will start using a new body scanner for every individual entering the facility.
“My heart goes out to the family of Mr. Perez,” says Yuba County Sheriff Anderson. “The existence of drugs in our jail—and our community--is something that we have taken steps to curtail and is a never-ending problem. Correctional facilities across the nation are having ongoing problems with contraband, including fentanyl, which is inexpensive, widely available and easy to conceal. Those found to be in possession of narcotics will be held accountable, and we will work with our District Attorney to ensure they are prosecuted to the fullest extent.”