Calhoun Co. sheriff: 20 arrested trying to get contraband into prison in last week

MORGAN, Ga. (WALB) - The Calhoun County Sheriff’s Office is preparing for what it thinks could be another very busy weekend of arrests.

In the last week, they arrested 20 people trying to throw drugs and other contraband to the inmates inside Calhoun State Prison.

The sheriff said those arrested this week were trying to get containers, like Gatorade drink bottles filled with contraband items, over the fences at the prison.

The Calhoun County Sheriff’s Office arrested 15 last Saturday alone, most were from Atlanta suburbs, but there were some from all over the state.

Sheriff Josh Hilton said one of the men arrested said he was promised $10,000 if he got the package into the prison. The sheriff said the suspect was told there is no law enforcement at the prison and it’s an easy job. That suspect is now charged with a felony and could be facing up to a decade inside the same prison.

Contraband that was seized ranges from cell phones and chargers to molly, meth, marijuana and tobacco. The items were wrapped inside drink bottles usually and no drones or elaborate measures were used over the week to try and get the contraband in.

Sheriff Hilton said that all of the state prisons in Georgia are facing the same challenges.

Gangs inside the prisons are willing to pay big money to get contraband by working with gang members that are outside of the prison.

Hilton wants to warn people who may be tricked into this kind of recruitment that it is a serious crime.

There are many officers inside and outside the prison watching, and you have the chance of being arrested. Then you could end up behind the same fences.

The sheriff said they will be on alert this weekend because he is sure more runners will be coming to try to get illegal contraband to the inmates.

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