Seven prisoners in the Bayou Dorcheat Correctional Center were charged with possession of contraband in a correctional facility and possession of a schedule I substance. The substance is believed to be synthetic marijuana that made its way into the center through individuals participating in the work release program.
“Every correction facility has contraband issues….especially in the work day release program. The offenders have an opportunity to go out and work a regular job in the community but when they return to the facility they have to follow the rules just like any other inmate,” said Webster parish Sheriff Jason Parker.
The booking reports indicate that the individuals in possession of the synthetic marijuana were discovered through routine rounds in the work release dorm as well as observant deputies noticing signs of impairment.
One individual that was charged named Eric Chapman was asked by a Deputy if they had anything in their pockets. “Chapman ignored the question and refused to follow his verbal commands. Chapman then turned away from Pickard and ran towards the bathroom area. [The deputy] pursued Chapman and tried to restrain him. [The deputy observed Chapman throw a wadded up piece of paper onto the floor,” the booking report stated.
Others didn’t make the search as difficult, with one inmate named Geron Parker leaving a “partially smoked suspected synthetic marijuana cigarette on inmate Geron Parker’s Pillow, and another inmate named Tyrie Burton leaving ashes on their mattress and “partially smoked ‘roaches’ on the floor next to Tyrie’s work boots,” according to the booking reports.
Ultimately, this wasn’t a larger coordinated effort to try and find the synthetic marijuana that had made its way into the facility, and instead was a result from the attentive work the Sheriff’s Deputies do every day to keep drugs out of the Correctional Facility.
“Our deputies work very hard to keep any contraband from entering BDCC. When someone is caught with contraband there are consequences and they are held accountable,” said Sheriff Parker.