Box of meth left by dumpster leads to inmate drug smuggling ring at Hancock jail, sheriff says
Hancock County narcotics agency planned a sting and caught a man supplying meth to an inmate during a work detail, a trade that is part of an operation to smuggle drugs into the Hancock County jail, Sheriff Ricky Adam said in a press release.
Ronnie Earhart of Bayside Park and inmate Mindi Saucier were arrested on charges of conspiracy and possession with intent to distribute. Additionally, inmate Valerie Black faces a conspiracy charge.
Earlier this month, narcotics agents received information indicating that inmates were getting the drugs while in the general public on work details, then distributing them throughout the jail.
On March 16, agents were conducting surveillance on a work detail in Bay St. Louis when they saw Earhart, 41, drove into the parking lot and dropped off a package near a dumpster before leaving.
Saucier, an inmate on work detail, then retrieved the package and was confronted by agents.
According to the release, the package contained crystal meth known as “ice” and Subutex, a drug used to treat opioid addiction.
Further investigation revealed Black’s involvement in the drug smuggling operation, according to the release.
More arrests are expected.
“We are vigilant with the security of our detention facility and the responsibility rests not only with our dedicated corrections staff, but with every sworn deputy in our agency,” Adam said. “We will continue to investigate this case and others like it to ensure those who threaten the security of our facility are held accountable.”
The Hancock County Sheriff’s Office Narcotics Division is comprised of agents from the Hancock County Sheriff’s Office and the Bay Saint Louis and Waveland police departments.
