Two Caught Trying To Smuggle Items Into County Jail

Two Caught Trying To Smuggle Items Into County Jail - The Missourian: County

Posted: Wednesday, March 6, 2013 6:15 pm

Two Caught Trying To Smuggle Items Into County Jail

Franklin County authorities plan to seek charges against at least one of two men accused of smuggling contraband into the county jail in separate incidents recently.

Bringing contraband into a jail facility is a felony offense in Missouri.

Sheriff Gary Toelke said the separate incidents happened in the last week.

In one case, a man who was ordered to serve a 30-day sentence on a prior drug charge was found to have narcotics and drug paraphernalia hidden in a body cavity when he reported to the jail, Toelke said.

Jailers suspected that the 18-year-old Sullivan man was bringing in contraband and when confronted he admitted to the offense.

That suspect, however, was unable to remove the items, which included about one-quarter gram of heroin, a spoon, a lighter and a syringe. He later was taken to Mercy Hospital Washington where the items were surgically removed, the sheriff reported.

Another jail inmate who was on a work release program was confronted when he returned to the jail and it was determined that he had tobacco hidden in a body cavity.

Toelke said that while the Robertsville man, age 29, violated jail policy, he may not be charged with trying to bring in the tobacco, which is not a controlled substance.

That will be a decision for the prosecuting attorney’s office, he noted.

Names of the suspects were not released because no charges have been filed in the cases.