Jailhouse Fentanyl Dealer Sentenced to Life After Causing Overdose Deaths of Two Gwinnett County Inmates

Harry Fomby, 54, was sentenced to life in prison after being found guilty of two counts of felony murder and other charges related to the deaths of two Gwinnett County inmates. Fomby was convicted for his role in smuggling Fentanyl and Xylazine into the Gwinnett County Jail, leading to the overdose deaths of 22-year-old Corey Leemarie Bryant and 36-year-old Ian Jabar Longshore in September 2021.

On September 6, 2021, Longshore and Bryant were found dead in their cells, with medical staff confirming their cause of death as a Fentanyl overdose. Investigators learned from fellow inmates that Fomby had smuggled the drugs into the jail, with video footage showing Longshore retrieving an item from Fomby’s cell and later leaving commissary items for Fomby to pick up. Fomby had concealed the drugs inside his body when booked into the jail, as shown in his X-ray scan.

During the trial, prosecutors also presented a jail phone call in which Fomby discussed making “maneuvers” to bring in drugs. Fomby blamed his cellmate when interviewed by investigators. After two-and-a-half hours of deliberation, the jury found Fomby guilty, and he was sentenced to two life sentences.

The case was prosecuted by Gwinnett County Drug and Gang Task Force Assistant District Attorneys David Ian and Brian Trepanier, with support from Gwinnett County Sheriff’s Office and the Georgia Bureau of Investigations.