St. Louis Corrections Officer, Inmate Charged After Fentanyl Overdoses At ‘Workhouse’

A St. Louis Corrections Officer and an inmate have been charged after authorities allege the corrections officer brought fentanyl into the Medium Security Institution at least twice last fall.

It led to two nonfatal overdoses at the institution.

The corrections officer, Joeisha Cofer, and inmate Anthony Chatman face delivery or possession of a controlled substance at a jail and drug trafficking charges, KSDK News reported.

Judge David Roither ordered Cofer to be held without bond, adding that she is “a danger to the crime victim, the community or another person,” court documents read.

Police used text messages between Cofer and Chatman to prove Cofer brought fentanyl to Chatman on Oct. 23, 2021.

Chatman was not supposed to have a cellphone while behind bars.

Surveillance footage also shows Cofer interacting with an individual inside a car in the parking lot at the institution and then going to Chatman’s cell with several items.

On Nov. 18, 2021, following two nonfatal overdoses of MSI inmates, corrections officers searched the inmate’s cell and found 33 fentanyl pills.

Cofer admitted to police that she brought fentanyl to Chatman at least twice.

Chatman was being held at the jail on 13 charges surrounding a shooting on May 18, 2021. Police say two women and three children were inside a car when they heard gunfire. Both women were struck, but luckily the children were uninjured.