Gwinnett County inmate sentenced to life after fellow inmates overdose
Harry Fomby. Courtesy of Gwinnett County Office of the District Attorney
GWINNETT COUNTY, Ga. - A 54-year-old inmate, convicted of dealing fentanyl inside the Gwinnett County Jail, has been sentenced to life in prison after two fellow inmates fatally overdosed on the drugs he smuggled into the facility.
What we know:
Harry Fomby was found guilty of two counts of felony murder, violation of Georgia’s Controlled Substance Abuse Act, and two counts of possession of prohibited items by an inmate. His conviction stems from the September 2021 deaths of Corey Leemarie Bryant, 22, and Ian Jabar Longshore, 36.
Deadly Fentanyl Overdoses in Jail
The backstory:
On Sept. 6, 2021, jail staff discovered Longshore and Bryant dead in their cells. Medical officials determined that both men overdosed on fentanyl and xylazine.
Other inmates informed correctional officers that Fomby had smuggled the drugs into the jail. Investigators later confirmed this, with X-ray footage taken at Fomby’s booking showing a small concealed item between his legs.
Surveillance footage played during the trial showed Longshore retrieving drugs that Fomby slid under his cell door. Later, Longshore was seen leaving commissary items in front of Fomby’s cell—an apparent exchange for the drugs.
Fomby Convicted, Sentenced to Two Life Terms
Prosecutors also played a recorded jail phone call, in which Fomby was heard telling a woman he was making "maneuvers" inside the jail. When questioned by investigators, he blamed his cellmate.
The jury deliberated for just two-and-a-half hours before returning a guilty verdict. Fomby was sentenced to two life terms in prison.
Gwinnett County Drug and Gang Task Force Assistant District Attorneys David Ian and Brian Trepanier prosecuted the case. DA’s DGTF investigators Yayoi Huggins and David Wilbanks, DA’s investigators Doug Loomis and David Brucz, and victim witness advocate Trina Bradford assisted with the case. The Gwinnett County Police Department was also instrumental in closing the case.