Pubdate: Fri, 14 Dec 2001 Source: Ledger-Enquirer (GA) Copyright: 2001 Ledger-Enquirer Contact: http://www.l-e-o.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/237 Author: Jim Houston HOLY SMOKE! MARIJUANA SMUGGLED IN BIBLE When Jeffery Keith Powell's mother walked into the Muscogee County Jail on Aug. 4, she was carrying a large-print Bible for her son. But jailers, tipped to a scheme to smuggle marijuana into the jail, found rolling papers and marijuana sealed in the bulging binding of the Bible Jeffery Powell's mama was toting. The jailers also knew that Powell's mother didn't know she was carrying contraband. Assistant District Attorney Crawford Seals told Muscogee Superior Court Judge John Allen that was the work of Powell's girlfriend and Michael A. Teasley. Seals said Powell wrote a letter to his girlfriend, telling her in street language that he needed more marijuana. The girlfriend arranged for Powell's mother to pick up the Bible from Teasley. The print was too small on the Bible she had earlier provided, Powell had complained. The mother paid Teasley $80 for the large-print book, after the marijuana had been hidden in its binding, he said. But jailers, who had been tipped that marijuana was making its way into the jail area where Powell was held, read that letter from Powell to his girlfriend and were waiting for his mother's visit, Seals said. Teasley, 31, of 2421 17th Ave., pleaded guilty Thursday to attempting to cross guard lines with drugs and was sentenced to two years on probation, fined $300 and ordered to participate in a drug rehabilitation program. Teasley had no prior criminal conviction, having had his record cleared upon completion of a First Offender Act sentence in 1997 for possessing marijuana. Powell's girlfriend was not charged. Powell, 31, was sentenced to four years in prison and six years in probation on Sept. 13 after pleading guilty to first-degree forgery of a check stolen from Teasley's father. - --- MAP posted-by: Keith Brilhart