Jail guard caught with prescription drugs
Six-year employee charged with trafficking in prison contraband
Authorities have charged a corrections officer at Cumberland County Jail with two counts of trafficking prison contraband after he was caught allegedly trying to bring prescription drugs into the facility.
Toby M. Post, 38, of West Gardiner, was arrested at around 12:30 p.m. Wednesday outside the jail by sheriff's detectives and Maine Drug Enforcement Agents. Post was released on bond and is due for a court appearance on March 10.
The six-year jail veteran was placed on administrative leave pending the outcome of an internal investigation, Capt. Don Goulet said in a news release.
"The criminal inquiry will also continue in an effort to identify any other parties that may have been involved in the scheme," he said.
Detectives say Post was a "middleman" in a drug operation bringing prescription Soboxone into the jail, where it was to be delivered to an inmate. Goulet said Post was "observed taking control of drugs and subsequently arrested while bringing drugs into the facility" but couldn't elaborate.
Suboxone is an opiate in the same class as methadone, oxycodone and others. It is often prescribed to reduce withdrawal symptoms from heroin and other opiate drugs. The drug is ingested orally and designed to dissolve under the tongue.
Officials wouldn't specify how many pills Post allegedly had in his possession when arrested but said it was "more than one and less than 10." Goulet wouldn't comment on how they came to suspect Post was involved in the drug operation.
"We do know were it was destined to go, but because this is an active investigation pending prosecution, I can't comment," he said, adding that additional charges could be filed if inmates are found to be involved.
"This incident unfortunately brings the integrity and reputation of all jail officers into question. Union leadership has stepped forward and offered their assistance in resolving questions surrounding this incident," Goulet said in the news release.
County officials have been concerned about the presence of prison contraband for some time. Goulet said in 2009 there were about 100 cases involving inmates caught with contraband items, which includes everything from illegal and prescription drugs to alcohol and tobacco. He said about half of those cases involved drugs.
Jail officials have taken several steps to crack down on contraband such as conducting "routine" searches of inmate cells and screening mail. Goulet said county authorities believe much of the contraband enters the jail through the mail.
This is not the first time a Cumberland County Jail official has been implicated in drug activity. Goulet said no similar charges have been filed during his four years with the force but that a jail medical official was charged with illegally dispensing prescriptions.
