A former inmate at the Green Hill School juvenile detention facility in Chehalis is facing a felony charge after overdosing in 2025.
Tobias Thornton Hamm, 22, is currently out of custody. He appeared in Lewis County Superior Court via a video feed on Tuesday, Jan. 6. He is charged with one count of possession of a controlled substance while in a state correctional facility, a class C felony punishable by up to five years in prison and a $10,000 fine.
The overdose occurred on April 6, 2025, according to court documents.
“Law enforcement was called to the facility for a reported overdose,” prosecutors state in the affidavit of probable cause. “It was discovered that the defendant appeared to be suffering an overdose. It was learned the defendant had just exited the bathroom and began showing signs of distress. Upon entering the bathroom, several indicators of drug use were discovered. Included was a joint that was still burning and a strong chemical smell. The evidence was collected and sent to the WSP Crime Lab for testing. The lab tested the substance and identified MDMB-4en-PINACA, Fluoro-ADS as the controlled substance. MDMB-4en-PINACA, Fluoro-ADS is a synthetic marijuana prohibited under federal and state law.”
On Tuesday, Hamm was asked by Superior Court Judge Joely Yeager why he did not respond to a court summons in person rather than via a video feed.
“My county of residence is across the state and I am on parole, and as far as I know I am not allowed to leave the county,” he said, noting he does not have a vehicle.
Hamm has a pending case in Lewis County Superior Court for a charge of custodial assault. His next hearing in that matter is scheduled for Thursday, though it wasn’t clear if Hamm would be able to attend the hearing, which could delay the case.
