An inmate was found dead this week at Ridgeland Correctional Institution, a South Carolina Department of Corrections (SCDC) facility located in Jasper County, S.C.
According to a tweet from SCDC, inmate Trey Steven Lawson was found dead in his cell on Tuesday morning – laying in his bed, unresponsive.
“No foul play is expected,” the agency noted. “An autopsy will be performed to determine the cause of death.”
Ridgeland is a level two (medium security) facility that houses nearly 900 inmates. It is one of many SCDC facilities plagued by violence in recent years as prison officials struggle to contain an epidemic of drugs, contraband (including cell phones) and gang activity.
Lawson, 34, was incarcerated in connection with grand larceny and malicious injury charges filed in Spartanburg County, S.C. His sentence began on November 30, 2017 and he was projected to be released next March.
(Click to view)
(Via: SCDC)
During his period of incarceration, Lawson racked up a number of disciplinary violations including possession of a weapon, striking another inmate, unauthorized use of social networking and one drug charge – which he was slapped with two months ago.
He was also cited for being part of an unauthorized “security threat group,” which is prison bureaucratic-speak for a “gang.”
Here is Lawson’s file …
SCDC sources tell us an investigation is already underway into the circumstances surrounding Lawson’s death.
-FITSNews
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