An inmate at the Johnson County jail faces additional charges after being caught attempting to bring drugs into the jail.
Christopher Smith, 45, 525 Northgate Drive, Greenwood, arrived at the jail just after 1 p.m. Friday after a furlough, and a standard-strip search revealed that he had hidden pills inside secrete pocket in his jeans, a Johnson County Sheriff’s Office report said. Judges can grant furlough to inmates for situations such as allowing them to attend a funeral or visit a relative who is hospitalized, Sheriff Doug Cox said.
All inmates are searched before entering the jail. A correctional officer found a false cover on one of Smith’s pants pockets, and inside the pocket was a package of pills, the report said.
On March 7, Smith was sentenced to 180 days in jail after pleading guilty to a charge of strangulation.
Smith could now face an additional charge of possession of a controlled substance. The sheriff’s office has asked the prosecutor’s office to consider that additional charge, Cox said.
The sheriff’s office has been working to address the issue of drugs being brought into the jail. Earlier this year, county commissioners approved spending about $236,000 to purchase two body scanners, which will be in place within a couple of months, Cox said.
The scanners will mean strip searchers won’t be necessary every time an inmate is processed and hopefully deter people from trying to bring drugs or other items into the jail, he said.
