Warren County Regional Jail inmate Damone Bell undoubtably has a lot of nerve.

This is evidenced by a motion filed by Bell’s public defender that argued for Bell’s release ahead of his sentencing June 9 in U.S. District Court based on concerns that conditions of close confinement in the jail would leave Bell more vulnerable to contracting COVID-19.

Bell has pleaded guilty to distributing a controlled substance and possessing a mixture of heroin and fentanyl with the intent to distribute. Police arrested Bell last February after they determined Bell sold drugs to a 23-year-old Bowling Green woman, leading to her overdose death.

On Friday, U.S. Magistrate Judge Brent Brennenstuhl rejected Bell’s motion after concluding the jail had taken sufficient precautions to control the spread of the virus in the jail.

Steps taken by the jail to protect inmates included not allowing visits from family members and others, monitoring employees and inmates for signs of respiratory infections, screening new inmates for symptoms of respiratory illness, quarantining new inmates for 14 days before placement in the general population and regular cleaning and disinfecting areas with high traffic.

We can understand Bell’s concern about being infected by the coronavirus, a matter of deep concern to millions of Americans, and we also believe jails and prisons have an obligation to protect the health and safety of those in their care.

It appears to us that the Warren County Regional Jail has taken steps to do just that.

Sadly, Bell’s concern for his own safety did not extend to others, such as the young woman who died of an overdose of the drugs he provided.

Heroin and fentanyl result in thousands of deaths in our country each year, and Bell and others who sell these deadly drugs do so with a reckless disregard of these dismal numbers.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Jo Lawless, in arguing against Bell’s motion, noted that risk of spread of the virus exists in the community at large and not just in our jails.

Her point is well taken. Doctors, nurses, first responders and many, many others in essential services take great risk each day they go to work.

Bell in no way deserves a “get out of jail free” card because of his concerns.

Lawless argued that “taken to its logical conclusion, the defendant contends that due to the COVID-19 virus all inmates should be released. This is patently ridiculous.”

We concur.