Published on March 24, 2026
On March 23, 2026, Franklin County Judge Andria Noble sentenced Mahat Salat, 23, to a minimum of 10 years in prison for supplying a fellow inmate with fentanyl and carfentanil, resulting in the inmate’s death. This sentence, along with the sentence in Salat’s other two cases for felonious assault and obstructing justice, resulted in a total sentence of 16 to 24 years. Salat pled guilty to involuntary manslaughter and drug trafficking on January 29, 2026.
On the morning of December 6, 2024, a Franklin County Sheriff’s Deputy observed an unresponsive inmate in their cell. Medical staff declared the inmate, Courtney Rhodes, III, 34, dead upon arrival. An autopsy later revealed fentanyl and cafentanil as the cause of death. The investigation concluded that Salat, who was in custody with Rhodes, supplied the drugs that led to Rhodes' death. Salat was in custody awaiting the outcome of his other cases. Salat was indicted on August 8, 2025, after the investigation. Charles Fultz and Scott Smith were the prosecutors in these cases.