In late June, two people were arrested in separate incidents for attempting to smuggle narcotics into Maryland detention centers. According to media reports, the drugs were discovered by correctional officers as the defendants tried to enter the facilities.
In the first incident, a 20-year-old Glenn Dale man was discovered with 55 strips of suboxone on his person as he tried to enter the Dorsey Run Correction Facility. Apparently, correction officers were tipped off about the presence of the drugs by the Maryland Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services’ Intelligence and Investigative Division. The defendant allegedly told officers that the drugs were intended for his cousin, who is a prisoner at the facility. He has been charged with drug possession, drug possession with the intent to distribute, drug possession in a place of confinement, and possession of contraband in a place of confinement.
In the second incident, a Baltimore attorney was taken into custody for allegedly giving 125 strips of suboxone to a prisoner. The incident took place at the Roxbury Correctional Institution in Hagerstown.
Individuals facing drug charges have the right to retain an attorney and mount a vigorous defense against the allegations. An attorney could investigate the case and attempt to uncover details that dispute the prosecution’s version of events, which could cause the charges to be dismissed. In other circumstances, the attorney could negotiate a plea deal with prosecutors that allows the defendant to plead guilty to reduced charges, which could also reduce the penalties. For example, some defendants might be eligible to complete a drug diversion program or community service instead of going to prison.