Drug that sent HCSO deputies to hospital tests positive for fentanyl

A drug that sent a pair of Harris County Sheriff’s Office deputies to the hospital last week tested positive for fentanyl, a synthetic opioid known to be 100 times more powerful than morphine, according to authorities.

The deputies initially responded last Wednesday night to an Extended Stay America hotel room near George Bush Intercontinental Airport where a cleaning crew found “all types of illegal drugs in the open.”

INITIAL COVERAGE: Possible fentanyl exposure leaves HCSO deputies hospitalized after finding drugs, money

Responding deputies brought some of the drugs back to their patrol car when they became light-headed and overheated, authorities said. After they administered the opioid antidote Narcan to each other, they were transported to Memorial Herman Northeast hospital and released at 3 a.m the following morning, authorities said.

The Harris County Fire Marshal’s office later identified the drugs as 6 grams of fentanyl, said Harris County Sheriff’s Office spokesman Jason Spencer.

Meanwhile, three people were taken into custody the day the deputies were released. Robert Payne, 43, of Porter, was charged with possession of a controlled substance and felon in possession of a firearm. Court records say he was in possession of methamphetamine.

Payne has since been released after paying bonds of $1,500 and $5,000 for each charge, respectively, records show.

Eric Ratliff, 45, of Humble, was charged with possession of a prohibited weapon, which was identified only as “short barrel firearm” in court records. He remains in custody on a parole warrant, and his bond was revoked because of a prior drug possession charge, officials said.

Rebeca Hollis, 29, of Montgomery, was charged with possession of a controlled substance, namely heroin. She was released after paying her bond of $2,500, officials said.

It’s unclear whether all three suspects were in the hotel room during the arrest. In the initial investigation, deputies said they found possible counterfeit money and printing devices in the hotel room, but charging documents did not cite money or printing devices.

Court records also did not indicate who might have possessed the fentanyl.

Julian Gill is a digital reporter in Houston. Read him on our breaking news site, Chron.com, and on our subscriber site, houstonchronicle.com. | julian.gill@chron.com | NEWS WHEN YOU NEED IT: Text CHRON to 77453 to receive breaking news alerts by text message | Sign up for breaking news alerts delivered to your email here.