Retired Houston attorney Ronald Lewis charged for killing at least two inmates with drug-laced papers
HOUSTON, TEXAS: A retired Houston area attorney is currently facing charges after he was suspected of allegedly delivering drug-laced papers to the Harris County Jail and causing the death of two inmates, according to Harris County authorities.
As per officials, Ronald Lewis, 77, is now facing two charges of having a banned substance in a correctional facility. Authorities said Lewis had 11 sheets of paper in his possession when he was arrested on Friday, November 17, at the Harris County Jail. Those papers are now being tested by the Texas Rangers for confirmation of narcotics, officials said.
What did the authorities say about the incident involving Ronald Lewis?
According to court documents, at least a couple of inmates lost their lives as a result of the substances that Lewis allegedly brought into the jail and several other inmates reported having severe side effects, ABC13 reports.
“The laced sheets of mail were often disguised as legal mail or other forms of legal documents. Inmates would pay the attorneys $200 to $500 to bring in the laced papers,” said Harris County Sheriff’s Office Lt J Wheeler during a press conference. Court documents identified the substance as methoxy dimethyl oxobutane.
“Mr Lewis visited 14 inmates from July 2023 until November 2023. During the investigation, approximately 154 sheets of paper were believed to be laced with narcotics and confiscated,” Lt Wheeler continued.
According to Assistant District Attorney Kimberly Smith, who is assigned to the case, inmates were selling them inside the jail, and others were smoking them. She said that makes it difficult to trace who took the drugs and where they originated from.
"We found that out through jail calls, through videos of attorneys coming to visit their clients and then passing papers on video to their client, something that they know well that they're not supposed to be doing," Smith said.
A task force was created in March to combat crime and dangerous narcotics inside the jail
The relationship between the inmates and Lewis is unclear as of now according to a prosecutor with the Harris County District Attorney’s Office. Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez told Fox 26 that he created a task force to fight crime and dangerous narcotics inside the jail in March after receiving backlash for an increase in jail deaths.
Gonzalez added that the jail has also tightened a number of security measures, including adding three drug sniffing dogs and implementing stricter protocols for jail mail. According to Harris County authorities, 27 inmates died in 2022 and so far, 19 have died in 2023.
Ronald Lewis is banned from visiting anyone at the jail
Jail records show that Lewis posted a $7,500 bond on Saturday, November 18, and, as part of his bond conditions, he is banned from visiting anyone at the jail while the case is pending.