Two women were arrested Sunday in two separate incidents with both accused of trying to get drugs into Hays State Prison in Trion, Ga.
Patricia Denton, 56, who worked for the prison’s food service provider Aramark, was arrested at 9 a.m. for crossing guardlines with drugs or intoxicants, said Susie McGraw, the warden’s secretary at the prison.
Ms. Denton was charged with violating the Georgia Controlled Substance Act, possession with intent to distribute and possession of a weapon during commission, Ms. McGraw said.
She said she could not release how much marijuana Ms. Denton had on her, but said it was enough for a felony charge. Georgia law states that possession of more than 1 ounce of marijuana is a felony and can carry a prison sentence of up to 10 years.
Terrie Sutton, 43, who was coming to the prison to visit an inmate, was arrested at 9:45 a.m. and charged with possession of less than 1 ounce of drugs and crossing guardlines with drugs or intoxicants, Ms. McGraw said.
As of 5 p.m. Monday, Ms. Denton was in the Chattooga County Jail on a $25,000 property bond, and Ms. Sutton’s property bond at the jail was $10,000, Cpl. Steve Osby said.
Sarah Jarvis, a spokeswoman for Aramark, said the incident involving Ms. Denton was a “police matter,” but added that Ms. Denton would probably be terminated from the company.
“If that was an employee, they are not an employee now,” she said.
Aramark provides “food, facility and other customized support solutions” to more than 600 correction facilities in North America, the company’s website states.
Police set up the prison checkpoint at 8 a.m. on Sunday, Ms. McGraw said, adding that checkpoints are set up “at least once a quarter” outside the prison.
“We’ve had some (checkpoints) where they did get things,” she said. “There’s been times when they didn’t get anything at all.”
Sunday’s checkpoint was set up on Underwood Road, the prison’s entry road, Ms. McGraw said.
The checkpoint was conducted in a joint effort by the Chattooga County Sheriff’s Department and Georgia State Patrol and included three K-9 officers, she said.