Arrests Made Following Prison Contraband Investigation
Save Email Print
Bookmark and Share
Updated: 11:01 PM Jan 17, 2012
Arrests Made Following Prison Contraband Investigation
Several arrests were made after an investigation led authorities to believe the people involved were selling and smuggling contraband items into prisons and jails in Georgia.
Posted: 8:15 PM Jan 17, 2012
Reporter: Jacquie Slater
Email Address: jacquie.slater@wctv.tv
width:200 and height: 120 and picwidth: 200 and pciheight: 120
Font Size:

Moultire, GA -- January 17, 2012 --

Richard Roberts, 43, of Moultrie, is now a former corrections officer at the Colquitt County Correctional Institute after he was arrested back in November on charges of helping inmates obtain contraband items. Another investigation by Colquitt County and Thomas County narcotics agents led to several more arrests for the same offenses.

"I don't know of any relationship between that group of people and the officer that worked here. Similar in nature, but that's as far as it goes," said billy Howell, Warden at the Colquitt County Prison.

Warden Howell says prisons statewide have been battling the issue of contraband. A common practice is for inmates to pick up contraband like tobacco, marijuana and cell phones while out on a work detail.

Inmates, or a person on the inside of the prison, will contact someone on the outside and let them know where they will be working. The person on the outside will hide the contraband items somewhere at that location for the insider to pick up.

Kevin Lee, Narcotics Commander in Thomas County, said common drop locations include ditches on the side of the roads, cemeteries, and other places prisoners often clean up. If the parties involved do not get caught, they stand to make a lot of money.

"Marijuana goes for about four to five hundred dollars in prison per ounce. Cell phones are three hundred dollars a piece, " said Lee.

In Thomas County, Henry Ansley III, 38, was arrested after agents found text messages saying where the contraband items would be located.

Bottom line, authorities say they are always on the lookout for people smuggling things into the prisons.

"Any item not permitted by the warden is considered contraband and anyone caught trying to give that to an inmate is considered a felony offense," said Steve Exum, Commander of the Colquitt County Drug Enforcement Team.

Also charged in the case are Billy Joe Bowling, 35, of Thomasville, Marcos Brewer, 22, of Cobb, and Jason Icard, 39, of Buena Vista.

NOTE: mughots of Ansley and Roberts are attached.

Latest Comments

Posted by: Jus Sayin on Jan 23, 2012 at 01:01 PM

@jld.....you're completely right when it comes to things not being as they appear, however if you lay with the dogs you're gonna get fleas. I know 2 of them because they are family. And given the fact 3 of the 4 not including the CO all were fresh out of prison, they were trying to make that quick money, instead struggling like the rest of them. 2 of them have been in and out of prison for the last 10 years, not something I'm proud of but clearly they know the choices they are making, REGARDLESS of the reasoning behind them. A legit excuse in someone's eyes does not mean committing a crime is right, which is why they will now be judged by the judge. They knew what they were doing. They knew that they could make 50 dollars off each pack of tobacco. and with 40 packs. you do the math. I've walked in one of their shoes, in fact I was married to one of them, and I know their mind set, so until you see them on both sides of the fence, you can't jusitify what they did, cause they knew what they were doing when they did it!
Posted by: jld Location: thomasville on Jan 19, 2012 at 08:47 PM

Things arnt always exactly the way it is put in the media and the news paper. We r all suspose to be innocent until proven guilty. I don't know all of these men but I do know one of them, he is a daddy, a brother, a nephew and he is loved very much. Until u walk in someone else's shoes you never know the reasons behind why they did what they did. Don't judge.
Posted by: Just Sayin' on Jan 19, 2012 at 08:33 AM

From what I've heard since I've been in South Georgia, this is not anything that just started happening. It's always gone on.
More Stories
Pinpoint Weather
Click Maps to Enlarge
WCTV Online Poll
Do you think concealed guns should be allowed on college campuses?

Yes - they should be allowed
Yes - but only with a permit
No - I don't want guns on campus


The faculty senate at Valdosta State University is taking a stand against concealed guns on campus. They unanimously passed a resolution last week to keep guns out of the classrooms and off university grounds. The faculty senate is standing in opposition to house bill 981. The bill proposed allowing citizens the right to carry concealed weapons into bars.. churches.. college campuses and even elementary schools.
Comment on Today's Poll
Most Viewed
Commenting Policy
Comments are posted from viewers like you and do not always reflect the views of this station.

For more on WCTV’s policy regarding viewer comments, click here.