Gaston County solution to drugs in jail blocked

GASTONIA, NC — If you think jail is a drug-free environment think again. Gaston County jail officials say there are drugs hidden in mattresses, bars of soap, and anywhere else inmates can conceal them.

"I almost think that is worse inside the facility than it is on the outside," explained Sgt. Jonathan Lomick with the Gaston County Sheriff's Office.

We checked and learned there were 13 cases involving drugs inside the Gaston County jail in the first 13 days of the new year. In one of them, an inmate reportedly high on drugs almost killed himself.

"A guy jumped off the top tier," inmate Randall Shropshire said. "He just come running out and just jumped."

Inmates have overdosed and nearly died in their cells. Shropshire, has been in jail for the past two months. He said inmates who are addicted create a big demand for drugs inside jail walls.

"I have seen like people coming off of heroin and they say they want to die and it's so bad," he said.

Dealers get creative. Jail officials showed us a greeting card sent to an inmate had small strips inside coated with prescription medication.

But by far, the most popular way to smuggle drugs into jail is by hiding them in a body cavity. That happens most often when a suspect knows they must turn themselves in.

"They will even go as far as getting balloons and swallowing drugs so they can get them later once they get inside the facility," Maj. Becky Cauthen with the Gaston County Sheriff's Office explained.

That can't be caught during a pat down, and not all full body searches can catch drugs.

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But jail officials believe there is something that can. It's a scanner that gives a detailed view inside the body.

"You can see drugs, balloons of heroin," said Cauthen.

County commissioners have already budgeted $189,000 for the scanner, but state health officials who must approve the device and training procedures rejected the sale of the scanner in the state - with no further details.

Jail officials say the scanner is safer than an X-ray. Several sheriff's offices in other states use these - but none in North Carolina.

The Hamilton County Ohio Sheriff's Office told Channel 9 they have had no problem with their scanner and it catches inmates with drugs every week. Most ditch the drugs when they realize they must go through the machine.

"My goal is to save a life, is to protect the inmate and officers of this facility, and the body scanner will help me do that," said Lomick.

Jail officials say they want scanners to protect officers who do pat downs. Some have been pricked with needles while searching inmates. They'd rather have body scanners instead of just a pair of latex gloves.

Cox Media Group