It remains unclear how Miske acquired fentanyl or para-fluorofentanyl while incarcerated at the Honolulu Federal Detention Center. Para-fluorofentanyl, a synthetic opioid known to be more potent than fentanyl, is a substance frequently found in illicit drugs. The Bureau of Prisons did not provide an immediate response to requests for comment via email. Miske was discovered unresponsive at the detention center on December 1. Despite efforts by both staff and emergency medical personnel, he could not be revived, as stated by the agency.
Miske had been convicted in July on multiple charges, including racketeering conspiracy, murder in furtherance of racketeering, and kidnapping resulting in death. His alleged criminal activities involved orchestrating various crimes such as the abduction of a 72-year-old accountant who was indebted to him, the release of a hazardous substance into rival nightclubs, and the murder of his late son’s close friend. Following his conviction, the government gained the authority to seize assets totaling up to $28 million, including properties, boats, and artwork belonging to Miske. A sentencing hearing had been scheduled for January 30.
The Honolulu Federal Detention Center, located within Google Street View, is among the facilities run by the Bureau of Prisons, which oversees a total of 122 federal detention establishments nationwide. In recent years, the Bureau has faced a multitude of challenges and controversies, ranging from reports of widespread sexual abuse and criminal misconduct by staff members to persistent issues such as understaffing, escapes, and notable fatalities.
In a separate incident from August, an inmate and two accomplices faced charges for allegedly conspiring to mail narcotics to a penitentiary in California. Tragically, a mailroom supervisor at the facility lost his life after being exposed to a letter containing fentanyl and other dangerous substances, according to prosecutors.
