According to Sheriff Bobby Webre, four men have been arrested after trying to smuggle drugs in the Ascension Parish Jail.
Narcotics detectives began an investigation and learned that Brandon Gonzales, 35, of St. Amant, was supplying illegal narcotics to inmates by placing an amount of drugs on a sheriff’s office vehicle assigned to a corrections deputy; without the deputy’s knowledge.
This arrangement was made with an inmate who was listed as a trustee, identified as 40-year-old Samuel Cutrer, of Hammond.
On Wednesday night, Gonzales, and another individual identified as 64-year-old Edmond Harris, placed the illegal narcotics on the sheriff’s office vehicle at an undisclosed location with the intention that on the following morning the sheriff’s office vehicle would be driven to the Ascension Parish Jail where an inmate would go to the vehicle, and remove the drugs from the vehicle with the intent of distributing to other inmates.
On Thursday morning, detectives observed an additional inmate, identified as 40-year-old Samuel Cappel, attempting to retrieve the drugs from the sheriff’s office vehicle where he was arrested.
Narcotics detectives also executed a search warrant on Gonzales’ residence and located a quantity of marijuana, legend drugs, and smoking pipes. Both Gonzales and Harris were arrested Wednesday night.
Gonzales was arrested and charged with distribution of schedule III CDS, two counts of criminal conspiracy to introduce CDS in a penal facility, simple burglary of a vehicle, two counts of criminal trespass, possession of drug paraphernalia, two counts possession of a legend drug, and criminal conspiracy to distribute schedule III CDS.
Harris was arrested and charged with two counts of distribution of schedule III CDS, criminal conspiracy to introduce contraband into a penal facility, criminal trespass, simple burglary of a vehicle and possession of marijuana.
On Thursday morning, both inmates were arrested.
Cutrer, was charged with two counts Criminal Conspiracy to Distribution of Schedule III CDS, two counts Criminal Conspiracy to Introduce CDS into a Penal Institution, Criminal Conspiracy to Simple Burglary of a Vehicle, and Criminal Conspiracy to Criminal Trespass.
Samuel Cappel, of Hammond, was charged with Criminal Conspiracy to Distribution of Schedule III CDS and Criminal Conspiracy to Introduce CDS into a Penal Institution.
No bond has been set.