A Hawaii crime boss who died in federal detention was killed by an opioid overdose, according to local medical examiners.
Michael Miske, 50, succumbed to “toxicity of fentanyl and para-fluorofentanyl” while in custody at the Federal Detention Center Honolulu, according to a statement released Tuesday by the Honolulu medical examiner’s office. The office noted that while the death appears accidental, investigations are ongoing, with a full autopsy report expected in approximately 30 days.
According to the Bureau of Prisons, Miske was found unresponsive at the detention center on Dec. 1. He couldn’t be revived despite efforts by facility staff and emergency responders.
The presence of para-fluorofentanyl, a synthetic opioid more potent than fentanyl and typically found in illicit drugs, has since raised concerns about security measures at the detention center. The Bureau of Prisons has not yet responded to inquiries about how Miske could have obtained the drugs while in custody.
Miske was in federal detention after being convicted in July on 13 charges, including racketeering conspiracy, murder in aid of racketeering, and kidnapping resulting in death. According to court documents, prosecutors accused him of orchestrating a variety of criminal activities, from the kidnapping of a 72-year-old accountant who owed a debt to the release of toxic chemicals in rival nightclubs and the killing of his late son’s best friend.
The conviction allowed the government to seize up to $28 million of Miske’s assets, including boats, houses, and artwork. His sentencing had been scheduled for Jan. 30.
Miske’s attorneys have not responded to requests for comment on the autopsy findings.
Miske’s death adds to a series of challenges faced by the federal prison system in recent years. The Bureau of Prisons, which operates 122 facilities nationwide, has grappled with issues ranging from staff misconduct and chronic understaffing to escapes and high-profile deaths, according to an ongoing Associated Press investigation.
In a related incident in August, an inmate and two accomplices were charged with attempting to mail drugs to a California penitentiary. The case resulted in the death of a mailroom supervisor who handled a letter allegedly containing fentanyl and other substances, according to prosecutors.
A Justice Department watchdog report, which was prompted by high-profile deaths, including those of gangster Whitey Bulger and financier Jeffrey Epstein, found that policy violations and operational failures contributed to hundreds of federal prisoner deaths over the years.
The Associated Press investigation uncovered deep-seated problems within the Bureau of Prisons, including rampant sexual abuse, staff criminal conduct, escapes, chronic violence, and severe staffing shortages, which have slowed staff responses to emergencies, including inmate assaults and suicides.