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 1,287 staff and civilians for introducing contraband into prisons throughout the state.

On August 29 at Smith State Prison, Tattnall County Sheriff's Office conducted a traffic stop near the facility. During a search of the vehicle a black book bag containing an unknown amount of pills, an unknown amount of suspected marijuana, and one gun was located in the vehicle. Civilians Cortez Rivers and Susan Hutchinson were arrested and taken to the Tattnall County Sheriff's Office.

On August 27 at Valdosta State Prison, the portal sergeant detected the smell of marijuana coming from Food Service Supervisor Cametrise Jenkins as she attempted to enter the facility. Ms. Jenkins consented to a search of her person and 04 packages were recovered. The packages contained 20 cigarettes, 460 grams of tobacco, and 112.6 grams of marijuana. She was arrested by Lowndes County Sheriff's Office.

On August 27 at Rogers State Prison, Tattnall County Sheriff's Office conducted a traffic stop by the facility and arrested Civilians Stacey Williams and Kala Richards after contraband was detected in the vehicle. The contraband consisted of 12 touchscreen cellphones and 12 USB charger cords.

On August 26 at Johnson State Prison, Johnson County law enforcement officers conducted a traffic stop on a suspicious vehicle. A vehicle search was conducted and a two-liter bottle containing tobacco and wrapping papers was discovered.  The two civilians were arrested and taken to Johnson County Sheriff's Office.

On August 26 at Telfair State Prison, Telfair County Sheriff's Office observed two subjects exit a vehicle and enter the woodline near the facility entrance. A tracking dog was deployed, and two subjects were apprehended. The following contraband was discovered on the subjects: 1 drone, 1 headset, 1 controller, 14 smartphones and 74 grams of tobacco. Nicholas Lo, Toure Cheick, and Jared Grant were arrested by Telfair County Sheriff's Office. 

On August 26 at Telfair State Prison, Telfair County Sheriff's Office observed a vehicle near the facility with 2 unidentified persons. A search of the vehicle was conducted and a book-bag containing 6 bundles of contraband was found. The contraband consisted of the following:  5 (1 lb) balls of tobacco, 3 touch screen cell phones, 1 flip phone, 2 grams of marijuana and 4 cell phone chargers. Both subjects were placed under arrest and taken to Telfair County Sheriff's Office.