Drumheller Institution is pictured in a file photo (Facebook: Correctional Service Canada)

By Charles Lefebvre

Investigation continues into inmate death at Drumheller Institution

Aug 6, 2019 | 1:46 PM

DRUMHELLER, AB — Correctional Service Canada continues to investigate the death of an inmate with ties to Medicine Hat at the Drumheller Institution over the weekend.

Jason Claude Tremblay, 42, died in custody on Sunday.

Maureen Quintal, the assistant warden at the prison, says Tremblay died sometime between 6-8 p.m. on Sunday, but did not provide any further details, citing the ongoing investigation.

“The RCMP were contacted, they’re doing an investigation,” Quintal said over the phone from Drumheller on Tuesday. “CSC is going to do an internal investigation, and the coroner is going to be doing their autopsy report. Until all of those investigations and reports are in, we can’t share any details.”

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Tremblay was arrested in 2014 in Medicine Hat on charges of possession for the purpose of trafficking. Police say approximately 800 fentanyl pills were seized during the investigation.

According to The Canadian Press, he was initially acquitted of trafficking, and was found guilty of simple possession, receiving a one year jail sentence.

However, in 2017, the Alberta Court of Appeal ordered a new trial in Tremblay’s case, saying the judge made an error in law by qualifying a drug addict to testify as an expert witness in the case. The Court of Appeal said the trial judge relied heavily on that evidence to determine reasonable doubt.

A new trial occurred in 2019, according to Court Check. He was sentenced to 66 months in prison on two charges of possession for the purpose of trafficking on March 27, and has been serving his sentence at the Drumheller Institution.

Quintal says the medium security prison remains under lockdown and visits are suspended at the time.

“We lock down in situations like this automatically, and do a full search of the institution,” she said. “So we are locked down right now and we’re searching every cell for different types of contraband, which is normal procedure, and then as soon as we’ve completed that, and its deemed safe to open up, we will.”

Correctional Service Canada says they will notify people once the lockdown is lifted.