Original Blog Entry: Inmate caught smuggling drugs into jail via his leg

truesee — Thu, 10 Jun 2010 10:36:13 GMT

Jail trusty accused of smuggling contraband in prosthetic leg

Abbey Brown Doyle

The Town Talk

June 9, 2010

A Rapides Parish Jail trusty might not have a leg to stand on after being accused of smuggling contraband into the jail via his prosthetic leg

Joe Lewis Jr., 42, of 2302 Eighth St., Alexandria, was arrested and charged with introduction of contraband into a penal institution and possession of a controlled dangerous substance.

Lewis was serving a four-year sentence for a conviction of possession of a controlled dangerous substance in Rapides Parish Detention Center III. He had earned trusty status -- meaning he worked outside the jail during the day with other special privileges at the facility where Lewis was confined in the evenings.

Herman Walters, Rapides Parish sheriff's assistant chief deputy, said during a routine check of trusties coming back to the facility Friday, correctional officers discovered the contraband hidden in his prosthetic leg.

Inside the leg, the officers found bags of loose tobacco, 10 cigarettes, a container of smokeless tobacco and four Soma pills -- a muscle relaxer.

Tobacco has been considered contraband since Aug. 15, 2009 -- a deadline all correctional facilities were given to go smoke-free. Locally, Rapides Parish jails stopped selling cigarettes July 1, 2009.

The ban was so the institutions could comply with the Louisiana Smoke-free Air Act passed by Legislature in 2006. The correctional facilities were given extra time to implement the indoor smoking ban. Inmates were given the option to use cessation methods, like the patch, although most inmates who smoked decided to quit cold turkey.

Jail officials have said jails have seen an increase in contraband being snuck in with the ban, but a decrease in those attempting to smuggle in illegal drugs. And while an increase in violence was expected with the smoking ban, there have been no major issues.

The Rapides Parish Sheriff's Office displays some of the contraband it alleges trusty Joe Lewis Jr. smuggled into Rapides Parish Detention Center III in his prosthetic leg.

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