Detention officer, inmates charged with smuggling drugs into S.C. jail
CHEROKEE COUNTY, S.C. (FOX Carolina) - The Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office reports arresting a detention officer on Friday after she smuggled drugs into the detention center.
Deputies report 32-year-old Toni Marie Hutchins was charged with furnish or possession of contraband in a prison and trafficking methamphetamine, 10 grams or more.
Officials said narcotics investigators were able to determine that two inmates, Leonard Finch and Christopher Sellers, were able to persuade a detention officer to help them smuggle vapes and methamphetamine into the detention center on Thursday.
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An unknown suspect gave the contraband, which was hidden in colored highlighters, to the detention officer in a local grocery store parking lot, deputies said.
Deputies report a vape device was found in Finch’s jumpsuit waste band, a bag of methamphetamine was found hidden in Sellar’s body and Bradley Whitesides, Jr., was found trying to hide a bag of methamphetamine with his shoe during a shakedown.
Finch, Sellars and Whitesides were all charged with furnish or possession of contraband in a prison and Sellars and Whitesides were also charged with trafficking methamphetamine, 10 grams or more, deputies said.
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According to deputies, Hutchins said she was offered $500 to help get the contraband into the facility before she was terminated from her position and arrested. She had worked since January at the Cherokee County Detention Center.
Sheriff Mueller said, “The overwhelming majority of corrections officers work hard every day in a very tough and difficult environment, they work hard to maintain the trust of the community we serve, and this bad actor certainly is not a reflection of the great officers who put their life on the line every day to serve and protect our community within the detention center.
The Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office is continuing its investigation to determine who gave the contraband to the detention officer.
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