Trouble at nearby DeKalb County Jail

Feb 22, 2017 at 06:15 am by bryan


Trouble in nearby Smithville, TN...

Three female prisoners were sent to the hospital Friday night and two of them were admitted after swallowing drugs that had been smuggled into the DeKalb County jail. One of the two inmates had to be airlifted to a larger hospital for more extensive treatment. All are now back in jail.

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The women, who had apparently hidden the narcotics in their body cavities, consumed the drugs fearing they would be caught with them.

As a result of the investigation, a total of four prisoners have been charged with possession of contraband in a penal institution including 25 year old Trinity Kystrina Wildbur of Vine Street, Chattanooga; 39 year old Amy Jeannette Lawson of Haley Road, Smithville; 24 year old Natalie Gail Barrett of Miller Road, Smithville; and 20 year old Olivia Hope Barber of Forrest Avenue, Smithville.

DeKalb County Sheriff Patrick Ray told partner station WJLE that the story began Friday night when the sheriff's department received a tip that a female prisoner had drugs concealed "in her" when she entered the jail.

Acting on that information, Sheriff Ray said he ordered a surprise shakedown of the women's main cell and the side cell where all the female inmates are kept. Their bunks and personal belongings were searched. Some drugs were found there. All the female prisoners were then removed from the main and side cells for women one at a time and taken to a bathroom where they were individually strip searched by a female correctional officer before being taken to a holding cell.

Apparently fearing they would be subject to a warrant for a body cavity search, three of the female inmates swallowed the drugs they had hidden in their bodies. All three were taken to the hospital after one of them began showing signs of intoxication. Two were hospitalized through Monday and the other was examined and sent back to the jail Friday night.

Sheriff Ray said that Wildbur was found to have meth in personal belongings on her jail cell bunk.

A glass looking substance believed to be meth was found in Lawson's personal belongings along with a blue pill thought to be morphine and other unidentified pills.

In addition to the contraband offense, Barrett and Barber were charged with simple possession of a schedule II and V drug. According to Sheriff Ray, Barrett and Barber had on them a blue pill believed to be morphine and a white capsule pill thought to be Lyrica.

Source:

Partner Station WJLE

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