Contraband Arrests at Multiple State Prisons

As of July 2010, The GDC Office of Professional Standards, in conjunction with local & federal law enforcement partners, have investigated or arrested approximately 865 staff and civilians for introducing contraband into prisons throughout the state.

On September 25, at Georgia State Prison, Visitor Alexis Thompson was attempting to park for visitation when a GDC K-9 alerted on her vehicle. The search of her car resulted in the detection and confiscation of two partially smoked marijuana butts, two marijuana grinders, and a small amount of marijuana. Visitor Thompson was arrested by the Tatnall County Sheriff’s Department.

On September 25, Probationer Corey Strickland and civilian Vanessa White were arrested by Tattnall County Sheriff's Office after being pulled over due to a defective tag light on Highway 147 in Reidsville, Georgia near the Rogers State Prison dairy and inmate graveyard. Vanessa White gave consent for the vehicle to be searched and two cell phones along with 525 balls of tobacco wrapped in black electrical tape were discovered in a duffel bag in the truck of the vehicle.

On September 24, at Ware State Prison, Visitor Valorie Patton entered the front bunker and was scanned for contraband by security staff. Deputy Warden Kilpatrick also received consent from Visitor Patton to be stripped searched. During the search, two bundles of contraband wrapped in black tape were found on her person hidden in her undergarments. The contraband consisted of 1.8 ounces of tobacco, one ounce of marijuana, and 3.2 ounces of methamphetamine. The canine unit conducted a search of Visitor Patton's vehicle and found several cellphones and black electrical tape. Visitor Patton was arrested by Ware County Sheriff's Department on the charge of crossing the guard line with contraband.

On September 24, at Autry State Prison, the GDC K-9 Unit was conducting a supervised search of vehicles entering the parking lot of the facility and alerted on a Nissan Sentra that was driven and occupied by visitors Sade Chemise Stinchcomb and Deion Stinchcomb.  Officers conducted a search of the vehicle and discovered 78 grams of marijuana. Both visitors were arrested by Mitchell County Sheriff's Department.

During this same operation on September 24, at Autry State Prison, a GDC K-9 alerted on a blue Chevrolet Equinox that was driven by visitor Dinella Samantha. Officers conducted a search of the vehicle and discovered two grams of marijuana. Visitor Samantha was arrested by the Mitchell County Sheriff's Department.