Pubdate: Sat, 10 Nov 2001
Source: Morning Call (PA)
Copyright: 2001 The Morning Call Inc.
Contact:  http://www.mcall.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/275
Author: Kirk Beldon Jackson
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?132 (Heroin Overdose)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/prison.htm (Incarceration)

DRUG TRAFFICKING IS PROBED AT LEHIGH COUNTY PRISON

Heroin Overdose Is Suspected In Hospitalization Of An Inmate

The warden of the Lehigh County Prison said investigators are looking into 
heroin use inside a cellblock that sent at least one inmate to the hospital 
and possibly killed another.

State police used drug-sniffing dogs to search a 48-unit section of the 
prison for illegal drugs after a heroin overdose sent an inmate to the 
hospital for a couple of hours Sunday.

Police locked down the unit while doing the search, during which they found 
no drugs.

The heroin overdose follows the death of Michael W. Walwanis of 
Schnecksville, who died after being found unresponsive in his bed about 
9:45 p.m. Friday in that prison unit.

The Lehigh County coroner's office has not determined the cause of 
Walwanis' death. But Lehigh County Prison Warden Ed Sweeney noted that 
Walwanis, who lived in the same unit as Sunday's overdose victim, had a 
background with heroin.

On the morning of the day he died, Walwanis pleaded guilty to third- degree 
murder in the death of a 20-year-old who had died from an overdose of 
heroin that Walwanis had supplied to him.

Still, Walwanis had other health problems, Sweeney noted.

Sweeney said county authorities "have information" on when and how heroin 
was smuggled in the prison and are working to file charges.

"The introduction of contraband into a prison is a very serious matter," 
Sweeney said.

Sweeney said no Department of Corrections employee has been implicated.

In September of 2000, a prison guard discovered inmate Brian Dos Santos 
dead of a heroin overdose in his cell.

The drug was allegedly smuggled to him by his girlfriend, Elayne Nicole 
Zielinski. She has been charged with his death.
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