Pubdate: Fri, 14 Dec 2007 Source: Bradenton Herald (FL) Copyright: 2007 Bradenton Herald Contact: http://www.bradenton.com/mld/bradenton/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/58 Author: Robert Napper GIRLFRIEND: INMATE NEEDED METHADONE MAILINGS MANATEE -- A Bradenton mother of two told authorities she worried that her boyfriend would get sick if she didn't get prescription drugs to him in jail. Now, Amanda B. Rogers, 29, is facing a felony charge of her own. Detectives say she tried to mail methadone to Darrell Russell McDonald, who faces charges of child neglect and abuse of her boys, ages 11 and 13. Detectives arrested McDonald on Nov. 29 on charges of burglary, forgery and three counts of child neglect. He is accused of using Rogers' children, and his 7-year-old daughter, to help him steal, according to reports. An Ellenton shopkeeper told sheriff's detectives McDonald distracted her while the children ran through her store, and one stole her wallet from her purse. McDonald also has been charged with burglary and child abuse by the Palmetto Police Department in a similar case, in which he is accused of distracting a clerk while one of the children stole her wallet. Sheriff's Detective Dawn Atkinson said Rogers has denied any knowledge of the alleged crimes. But sheriff's reports say even though Child Protective Services had warned Rogers to "straighten things out in her life due to recent investigations of neglect and abuse to her children," a deputy arrested her Tuesday on a charge of driving with a suspended license. By Wednesday, a detective at the jail had started to look closely at some mail that had arrived for McDonald from Rogers, including letters from his daughter. Inside the envelopes were letters and more envelopes with stamps on them, a common practice for inmates to send mail back to their loved ones. When the detective rubbed his finger over the stamps, he felt lumps. He pulled the stamps off and found white powder that tested positive as methadone, a commonly abused prescription drug. Already in jail on the suspended license arrest, Rogers admitted to sending the mailings "for Darrell because she was worried about him being sick from not having methadone," a report states. In addition to driving with a suspended license, Rogers was arrested on a felony charge of introduction of contraband into a detention facility. She was being held on $5,250 bond. Atkinson said Rogers' children have been taken from her, with custody given to their father in another county. - --- MAP posted-by: Steve Heath