Inmate at Anchorage jail died of drug overdose, DOC says

An inmate found dead at the Anchorage jail in April died from a heroin and methamphetamine overdose, the state Department of Corrections said Monday. DOC officials are still trying to determine how the drugs got into the jail.

Brian Pinkerton, 36, was found unresponsive in his cell by a guard on April 21.

At the time of his death, Pinkerton was suffering from "acute combined effects of methamphetamine and heroin," department spokesperson Corey Allen-Young said in a news release on Monday.

He was also carrying a small pouch of heroin inside his body, according to the release. 

Pinkerton's arms showed recent injection marks, the release said.

Pinkerton had been in jail since January on probation violations as well as robbery, theft, assault and forgery charges. He had an ongoing medical issue and had spent time in the jail's medical unit, and used an inmate "personal care attendant," according to the department.

DOC Commissioner Dean Williams has said stopping the flow of drugs smuggled into prison is high on his list of priorities.

The release of details about an inmate's cause of death is a departure from DOC's historical silence on in-custody deaths.

"We are releasing further details based upon a commitment to transparency," Allen-Young said. "We want the public to understand the scope of the issue and we're committed to going after the problem with our partners in law enforcement and our new Professional Conduct Unit."

Last month, a guard at the Goose Creek Correctional Center was arrested on federal drug charges after the FBI said the guard admitted to attempting to bring heroin and marijuana into the facility to sell to inmates.

Williams called the arrest an example of the new Professional Conduct Unit's success.