Mother, daughter arrested after investigators find intended prison contraband
By Daeshen Smith
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MOBILE, Alabama (WALA) — The Washington County Sheriff’s Office and Chatom Police made an unexpected discovery after getting a call from the Mississippi Department of Corrections.
“They were coming over into our jurisdiction to see if they could retrieve some items that a corrections officer stated that she had at a couple different locations in our jurisdiction,” said Washington County Sheriff’s Office investigator Shane Thornton.
After searching the homes, deputies confiscated enough items to cover this entire table. Cell phones, amazon fire sticks, a tattoo kit and worst of all several pounds of drugs.
“We found over 10 pounds of marijuana and spice we found what we also believe to be paper soaked in fentanyl,” said Thornton.
Thornton says what’s worse is these were all packaged and ready to be smuggled into a Mississippi prison by a corrections officer. They’ve identified her as Delma Gandy. Even the investigators didn’t know it would be this much.
“Talking to the Mississippi corrections officers this is a common problem that they combat on a regular basis, and they were really surprised by the shear amount that she had in her possession that’s been working in and out of her jail,” added Thornton.
Gandy and her daughter Crystal Williamson have been arrested and will be extradited to the Washington County jail. Investigators say they’re glad none of these items will make it into the Mississippi prison, but they are still concerned about how much they found in their own community.
“Especially with the fentanyl we’re starting to see an increase in our areas, and I can tell you as a law enforcement officer I’m concerned because it puts me at risk,” said Thornton.
Both women have already been charged with possession of marijuana, but investigators say more charges are coming.
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