Pubdate: Mon, 12 Feb 2007
Source: Charleston Daily Mail (WV)
Copyright: 2007 Charleston Daily Mail
Contact:  http://www.dailymail.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/76
Author: Justin D. Anderson

CORRECTIONS OFFICERS CHARGED WITH BRINGING TOBACCO, DRUGS TO
JAIL

Three corrections officers at the Central Regional Jail in Braxton 
County have been charged with bringing tobacco and drugs into the 
jail for inmates and at least one fellow officer.

State Police arrested the officers late Thursday and early Friday at 
their homes in Nicholas and Braxton counties, said Trooper Bill 
Huddleston at the Sutton detachment. All three have been charged with 
conspiracy. Two have been charged with illegally bringing items into 
the jail and selling them for profit.

Huddleston said information is "cascading" out of the investigation 
and additional personnel at the jail might face charges.

The officers were arraigned by Braxton County Magistrate Nancy Means 
and released on bond. Cassandra Lynn Putnam, 24, of Mt. Nebo, is 
accused of bringing about a half a gram of cocaine into the jail and 
giving it to another corrections officer, Huddleston said. Police 
said she also brought at least three plastic cigarette lighters to 
the jail and sold them to inmates.

Huddleston said investigators believe the cocaine was meant for the 
personal use of the corrections officer who received it. Putnam has 
been released on a $7,000 bond. Another officer, Trevor Lee Ward, 37, 
of Mt. Nebo, is accused of bringing cans of snuff and selling it to inmates.

A can of snuff went for about $100, Huddleston said. Ward was 
released on $5,000 bond. Huddleston did not know how much tobacco 
Ward was able to bring into the jail or how much money the officers 
allegedly made by selling the contraband. "I'm sure there was much 
more that got in," Huddleston said. Huddleston said Ward and Putnam 
were involved in a relationship and they lived together.

The trooper said there were children at their home when the two 
officers were arrested and that neighbors took temporary custody.

The third officer, Okey Ferrell Smith, of Gassaway, was charged with 
one count of conspiracy for allegedly bringing in packages of loose 
cigarette tobacco into the jail and selling it to inmates.

He's out of jail on $3,000 bond. Joe Thornton, deputy director of the 
state Department of Military Affairs and Public Safety, said today 
that Putnam resigned from her job during the investigation. The other 
two officers currently are on suspension. Thornton said he did not 
know how long the officers had worked at the jail. The investigation 
began when an inmate came forward and told a jail supervisor about 
the contraband, Huddleston said. The jail's administrator found out 
and contacted the State Police. The officers were brought to Sutton 
detachment of the State Police, about 50 yards away from the jail, 
and interviewed, Huddleston said.
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