A 22-year-old Sauk Rapids man who was recently sentenced to St. Cloud Prison was found dead in his Stearns County Jail cell last weekend.

Stearns County Sheriff John Sanner says correction staff responded to Jerod Jakel’s cell Sunday evening to find him unresponsive, Jakel was pronounced dead on the scene.

An autopsy conducted by the Ramsey County Medical Examiner’s Office says the cause of death is determined to be asphyxiation due to hanging.

Jakel was being held at the Stearns County Jail on first and second degree assault charges and possession of a firearm. He was awaiting the start of his 8.5 year long prison sentence, for his role in a St. Augusta shooting last October.