Tennessee Woman Faces Charges in Death of Inmate Boyfriend After Passing Drugs Through Kiss

A prison visitor suspected of smuggling narcotics into a Tennessee Department of Corrections (TDOC) facility is imprisoned for a deadly kiss that resulted in the death of a prisoner.

Rachel Dollard, 33, paid a visit to inmate Joshua Brown at the Turney Center Industrial Complex Prison in February, where he was serving an 11-year term on drug-related offenses.

Woman's Kiss to Inmate Led to Deadly Drug Overdose in Tennessee

According to the Tennessee Department of Correction, the duo enjoyed a kiss during which Dollard handed the convict a balloon pellet carrying half an ounce of methamphetamine.

Brown died as a result of an overdose not long after taking the pellet. His sentence will end in 2029. Dollard was arrested this weekend on suspicion of second-degree murder and bringing contraband into a correctional facility, Fox News reported. Brown died a short time later at a nearby hospital. The bag was believed to have opened in his stomach and saturated his system with a lethal amount of meth.

TDOC special agents and the Dickson County Sheriff's Department apprehended Rachal Dollard this weekend on a warrant from a sealed indictment in Hickman County. She has been charged with second-degree murder in the killing of Brown, as well as bringing contraband into a prison facility. Second-degree murder often refers to occurrences that are deemed to have been committed with malevolent intent but are not thought to have been premeditated.

Second-degree murderers in Tennessee often face 15-60 years in jail. Second-degree murder is normally punished less severely than first-degree murder, which occurs when a homicide is deliberate and premeditated, as per Daily Mail.

Authorities Assure Strict Inspections in Tennessee Prisons

According to officials, Dollard was detained last weekend for the reportedly lethal smooch and charged with second-degree murder and carrying contraband into the prison. This instance highlights the genuine hazards of introducing contraband into jails, as well as the consequences. Anyone who threatens the safety and security of our personnel, the men and women in our care, or our facilities will face prosecution, stated David Imhof, Director of TDOC's Office of Investigations and Conduct.

Melissa Ann Blair of Oregon was sentenced to two years in prison in 2017 after her prisoner lover died as a result of her meth-laced kiss. Prosecutors said two balloons punctured her boyfriend's stomach, and he died of methamphetamine intoxication, according to the New York Post.

Capital punishment cannot be imposed as a penalty for second-degree murder. The Tennessee Department of Correction stated in a statement that it uses a range of measures to try to prevent contraband from entering Tennessee prisons. Pat searches of anybody entering a facility, vehicle and cell searches, and narcotics detecting dogs are examples of this.

Body scanners are also being installed at all facilities, they add. TDOC invites anybody with knowledge regarding possible security risks to call 1-844-TDC-FIND, a 24-hour confidential tip line (1-844-832-3463). To prevent the entrance of contraband into prisons, the TDOC utilizes a range of methods, including "pat searches of anybody entering a facility, car and cell searches, and drug-detecting dogs."