On the heels of an “extensive investigation,” six people have been indicted in relation to the death of 37-year-old Andrew Joseph Dalton of Whitesburg, according to the Hamblen County Sheriff’s Office. .

Dalton, who was an inmate in the former Hamblen County jail facility at the time of his death in 2022, passed away from an overdose. The cause of death was determined from an autopsy and toxicological examination by the Knoxville Regional Forensic Center.

According to Hamblen County Sheriff Chad Mullins, the case was assigned to Det. Sgt. Trevor Snowden.

“Throughout his investigation, Det. Snowden interviewed numerous inmates who were incarcerated at the time of Mr. Dalton’s death,” Mullins said. “He also conducted extensive interviews with other witnesses, executed search warrants, and spent a lot of time carefully analyzing the circumstances surrounding the death.”

It was determined that illegal narcotics, which had been introduced into the former jail facility, namely heroin, was a contributing factor in Dalton’s death.

The six individuals indicted, who reside in Hamblen and several surrounding counties, are currently facing charges of Introduction and Distribution of Narcotics Within a Correctional Facility. Additional charges are forthcoming.

“I’m proud of Det. Snowden and the diligence he and other members of the CID unit displayed in getting this case resolved,” Mullins said.

Mullins added that the case is now in the hands of the District Attorney’s Office and that no other information can be released at this time.