BEDFORD – Two people were arrested after Lawrence County Sheriff’s Department deputies caught them trafficking with inmates in the jail.
On Tuesday, Feb. 8, Lawrence County Jail staff became aware of a possible drug trafficking conspiracy while monitoring phone calls of inmate 28-year-old Andrew Rankin. Following this information, LCJ Cpt. Saunders continued to monitor calls for the remainder of the day.
Rankin instructed the person to place the contraband package under the trash bag in the women’s restroom and to put $11 in an inmate’s commissary account.
While watching the video system, an officer saw 22-year-old Danielle Bridges, who is Rankin’s girlfriend, enter the restroom in the lower lobby of the jail. After leaving the restroom she then placed $11 on the inmate’s commissary.
Officers seized the package which contained Suboxone, a Schedule III narcotic.
Police continued to monitor the conversations. On Feb. 9th Bridges returned to the jail to check to see if the package had been picked up. Rankin was concerned because the package had not made it into the housing units of the jail as intended.
Bridges was arrested and she is facing charges of trafficking with an inmate and conspiracy to traffic with an inmate.
Rankin is facing one count of trafficking with an inmate.
