Honolulu — A Hawaii crime lord who died in federal custody this month died of an opioid overdose, the Honolulu medical examiner’s office said Tuesday.
Michael Miske, 50, died from the toxicity of fentanyl and parafluorofentanyl, the medical examiner’s office said in a statement. It appears the death was accidental, but the incident is still under investigation and an autopsy report is expected to take at least 30 more days, he added.
It is unclear how Miske obtained fentanyl or parafluorofentanyl while he was in federal detention in Honolulu. Parafluorofentanyl is a synthetic opioid that appears in illicit drugs and is more potent than fentanyl.
The Bureau of Prisons did not immediately respond to an email seeking comment.
Miske was found unconscious in his quarantine location on December 1. Despite the efforts of staff and emergency medical responders, they were unsuccessful in rescuing him, the agency said.
He was found guilty in July on 13 charges, including racketeering conspiracy, murder for racketeering, and kidnapping resulting in death. He is accused of orchestrating a crime spree that included kidnapping a 72-year-old accountant over debt, releasing toxic chemicals into a rival nightclub and murdering his late son’s best friend.
The conviction gave the government control of up to $28 million of Miske’s assets, including boats, homes and art.
He was scheduled to be sentenced on January 30.
The Bureau of Prisons operates 122 federal prisons across the country. It has experienced a series of incidents and crises in recent years, from rampant sexual abuse and other criminal misconduct by staff to chronic understaffing, defections and high-profile deaths.
In August, an inmate and two others were indicted on charges of conspiring to mail drugs to California prisons. Prosecutors said a mailroom supervisor died after opening letters containing fentanyl and other substances.
