Drug Kingpin Dies in Custody: A Life of Crime and Cardiac Arrest

NATCHEZ, MS – Pejman Karshenas Najafabadi, 59, a convicted drug trafficker with a rap sheet stretching back decades, died March 1, 2026, at Merit Health Hospital in Natchez, Mississippi. The Iranian national, once a Lawful Permanent Resident, succumbed to cardiac arrest despite frantic attempts by medical staff to revive him. His death raises familiar questions about the care—and the fates—of those held within the federal immigration system.

Najafabadi’s criminal enterprise began to unravel in 2009 when the Drug Enforcement Administration arrested him in Nashville, TN, on charges of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine. He was convicted and sentenced to one year of federal probation. But that wasn’t the end of his dealings. In 2014, ICE arrested Najafabadi in Nashville and initiated removal proceedings following his felony conviction, as mandated by the Immigration and Nationality Act. An Immigration Judge ordered his deportation to Iran, but ICE was stymied by the inability to secure travel documents. Najafabadi was released under supervision – a decision that would lead to further offenses.

The revolving door of the justice system spun again on March 29, 2025, when Najafabadi was arrested for reckless endangerment, possession of unlawful drug paraphernalia, driving under the influence, and simple drug possession – fentanyl. This time, he was convicted of possession of fentanyl. ICE swiftly lodged an immigration detainer and took him back into custody on April 22, 2025. His initial detention at the Winn Correctional Center in Winnfield, Louisiana, revealed a troubling medical history. A health evaluation uncovered several chronic conditions, for which he received prescriptions and vaccinations.

Despite receiving ongoing medical attention, including a second intake screening upon transfer to the Louisiana ICE Processing Center in Angola on October 25, 2025, Najafabadi’s health continued to deteriorate. On February 20, 2026, ICE Health Service Corps staff evaluated his “ongoing medical concerns and prolonged illness,” transferring him to Riverbridge Specialty Hospital (RSH) in Vidalia, Louisiana for long-term care. Just hours before his death, around 4 p.m. Central Time on March 1st, RSH staff reported him “stable” and without complaints of pain. But this stability proved tragically short-lived.

Around 6:00 p.m. CT, Najafabadi experienced cardiac arrest. RSH staff immediately initiated CPR and continued life-saving efforts during transport to Merit Health Hospital. Doctors there continued resuscitation, but were unable to save him. He was pronounced dead at 6:32 p.m. Najafabadi’s documented medical history included prior cardiac arrest, inflammation of the heart, and methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). The question now: was enough done, and quickly enough, to address the known risks?

ICE has initiated standard notification procedures, informing Congress, NGO stakeholders, and the media. This incident will undoubtedly fuel the ongoing debate surrounding conditions within ICE detention facilities and the medical care provided to detainees. Details of the case are available on ICE.gov’s Newsroom, as required by the DHS Appropriations Act of 2018. Grimy Times will continue to follow this story and investigate the circumstances surrounding Najafabadi’s death, adding another chapter to the growing file of questionable outcomes within the federal immigration system.