AUBURN — A local man arrested a week ago on a drug trafficking charge was found unresponsive Thursday night in his Androscoggin County Jail cell and died, authorities said.
Kawon Walker
When corrections officers found inmate Kawon Smith Walker, 22, in his cell shortly before 11 p.m., they began life-saving measures, according to Sheriff Eric Samson.
Auburn Rescue was called and came to the jail, but Walker was pronounced dead there.
His death is under investigation by the Maine State Police Major Crime Unit and the Maine Department of Corrections.
The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner’s Office is expected to conduct an autopsy, which is standard protocol in such cases, according to Samson.
He said county and state agencies were notified and necessary information about the death was gathered for them by his department.
An out-of-state emergency contact provided by Walker was notified of his death by phone because there was no other identifying information available to allow that notification to happen in person, Samson said.
Walker was arrested late on July 18 on one count of trafficking in crystal methamphetamine, according to local police. He was charged with aggravated trafficking of drugs and on an outstanding warrant from Cumberland County for drug trafficking, according to Auburn Police Chief Deputy Timothy Cougle.
Cougle said Auburn police received two calls July 18 reporting domestic violence at 66 Dunn St. Walker was identified as the suspect in both incidents.
Arriving at the apartment building for the second time, Cougle said police found a small trail of blood from a cut Walker sustained while breaking a window at the apartment. Police found Walker a short time later at a nearby apartment and arrested him on the outstanding warrant from Cumberland County.
While searching Walker after the arrest, Cougle said officers learned Walker had stashed a backpack while fleeing the apartment. Officers found “a large quantity of crystal methamphetamine with an estimated street value of $14,000, as well as a large amount of cash, believed to be proceeds from drug trafficking,” Cougle said.
Cougle said Walker’s charge was elevated to “aggravated” because of the quantity of drugs found and the location and proximity of his arrest to Raymond Park.
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