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An Indianapolis man is facing serious charges after allegedly smuggling fentanyl into the Marion County jail using “baggies concealed in his rectum,” leading to a fatal overdose of a fellow inmate.
Thomas Christofer Wilson, aged 42, was formally charged on Wednesday in Marion Superior Court 27 with a Level 1 felony for dealing in a controlled substance resulting in death. This charge arises from the tragic overdose of 23-year-old inmate Akema Barrett, who passed away last October.
On October 8, 2025, authorities were called to a cell at the Marion County Adult Detention Center after Barrett was discovered unresponsive. Despite being rushed to Eskenazi Hospital, he was declared dead, with the cause suspected to be an overdose.
An autopsy later confirmed that Barrett’s death was accidental, caused by a mix of drugs. The toxicology report detected fentanyl, buproprion, busperone, naloxone, and other substances in his system.
Authorities responded on Oct. 8, 2025, to a cell in the Marion County Adult Detention Center after Barrett was found unresponsive. He was later taken to Eskenazi Hospital, where he was pronounced deceased from what appeared to be an overdose.
An autopsy ruled Barrett’s death an accident caused by mixed drug intoxication. A drug screen shows fentanyl, buproprione, busperone and nalaxone in his system, along with other chemicals.
Investigators spoke with jail staff who identified inmate Thomas Wilson as a potential suspect. Court documents detail how Wilson was booked into jail the day before Barrett’s death and how a body scan showed a possible object in his rectum. However, a strip search yielded nothing.
Video from inside the jail reportedly shows the 42-year-old entering his cell and sitting near the toilet for around two hours. Wilson, who had been booked on preliminary charges of drug dealing and possession, was then allegedly seen “trying to retrieve something from his rectum.”
The next morning, on Oct. 8, deputies conducted another strip search on Wilson. This time, officials said a “piece of white substance wrapped in plastic fell out of Wilson’s buttocks.” The item turned out to be 2.73 grams of fentanyl, according to court documents.
Wilson was then moved to another jail cell and was again seen on video messing with a white substance and paper near the toilet. Hours later, Akema Barrett was placed in the same cell.
Surveillance footage reportedly shows Wilson handing Barrett a piece of paper. Officials said Barrett is then seen “clearly snorting” something off the paper, shortly before he was found unresponsive in the cell and ultimately died.
Interviews with several other inmates reportedly revealed that Wilson was a known dealer inside the jail and that he would sell “slow,” “fetty,” “thirties,” or “fentanyl” for $100 a gram. A urinalysis of Wilson later showed he was positive for fentanyl, meth, cocaine, benzodiazepine and weed.
Wilson was interviewed by police on Oct. 9 and was confronted with the video evidence.
“Man, I’m addicted to heroin,” Wilson allegedly responded.
When told that the substance was actually fentanyl and not heroin, Wilson reportedly said the two were the “same thing.” When asked what substance he gave Barrett, police allege Wilson claimed it was Wellbutrin. The suspect then ended the interview and asked for a lawyer.
Wilson was charged on Wednesday with dealing resulting in death, in addition to his previous pending charges of felony narcotics dealing and misdemeanor drug possession. Online jail records show a warrant has been issued for his arrest with a $100,000 surety bond. It is unclear if he is in custody as of 4:30 p.m. Wednesday.
If convicted of a Level 1 felony, Wilson could spend up to 40 years in prison and face a fine of up to $10,000.