A drug investigation with the Troup County Sheriff’s Office resulted in two arrests, and more pending, for contraband after tobacco and marijuana was found on an inmate.
The investigation began Dec. 15, when marijuana was found in the bathroom at the TCSO lobby bathroom, sheriff’s officials said.
Early Monday morning, officers arrested inmate Roy Stallman, 43, after tobacco and marijuana was discovered inside the legs of his pants.
Prior to the arrest, drug agents received information that inmate Travis Braswell, 32, was conspiring with his mother, Eudonice Steele, 49, to have packages of tobacco smuggled into the Troup County Jail. Agents were informed that Steele was to bring tobacco into the women’s bathroom in the lobby of the jail and hide it in the trash on Jan. 6.
Investigator Phillip Johnson checked the bathroom after Steele left that date and located two cellophane-wrapped bundles that appeared to be filled with loose smoking tobacco. He photographed the items and left them in the trash to be picked up the unknown trustee.
The trash was checked again at about 7 a.m. Monday morning and drug agents discovered two more baseball-sized bundles wrapped in electrical tape. Investigators determined that two contraband drops were made overnight into the bathroom. An hour later, they conducted surveillance on the bathroom and saw Stallman enter the bathroom and exiting after a minute. Johnson checked the bathroom’s trash can and the four bundles were gone.
Agents approached Stallman in the hallway of the visitation area and arrested after he admitted that he had the four bundles inside his pants leg.
Loose smoking tobacco and rolling papers were located in the two taped cellophane bundles, and the electrical taped bundles contained loose smoking tobacco and a small bag of marijuana in each.
Braswell and Stallman were charged with bringing contraband into the jail. An arrest warrant also was issued for Steele for her suspected involvement.
The case is still under investigation and more arrests may be pending, sheriff’s officials said.
“When we catch them bringing contraband in, they will be arrested,” said Sheriff James Woodruff in a statement about the incident. “I appreciate the hard work of our investigators and in getting this done quickly.”
Post a Comment
