09/04/2024
Hardwork and training pay off! Proud of this team! Yes, this activity to introduce drugs (soaked in to paper) into a custody setting (locally included) is happening daily, multiple times. All of the jails, locally, are seeing an increase in this criminal behavior.
Reposted from On August 20th, 2024, a BCSO correctional deputy was scanning the incoming mail to the inmates housed in the Butte County Jail. Two suspicious drawings were located inside one of the envelopes addressed to an inmate, Marqual Barnes, age 25, who is housed in the Butte County Jail. The mail was then placed out in an open area to conduct a search, using K-9 Discovery. K-9 Discovery indicated the suspicious drawings and envelope could have narcotics in it. Correctional deputies confiscated the drawing and the envelope to conduct an investigation.
During the investigation, the District Attorneyโs Office sent correctional staff several jail phone calls they had previously scanned. In these phone calls, correctional deputies learned that Barnes conspired with Kayla Smith, age 24, of Chico, to send narcotics into the jail through the United States Postal Service (USPS).
At the end of the investigation, it was determined the pieces of paper containing the two drawings were soaked in Methamphetamine.
Barnes was booked on two new charges of 182(A)(1) PC โ Conspiracy and 4573(A) โ Smuggling a controlled substance in a jail.
A Ramey Warrant was issued for Smith for 182(A)(1) PC โ Conspiracy and 4573(A) โ Smuggling a controlled substance in a jail. Her arrest is pending.
The Butte County Sheriffโs Office would like to remind the public that it is a felony to send and smuggle narcotics into the jail. Furthermore, utilizing the United States Postal Service (USPS) to do such a thing, could be charged as a federal crime.