Medford, Ore.– Contraband found in the Jackson County jail brings about new charges for two Rogue Valley men who are no strangers to local law enforcement.
“It’s usually marijuana. Seems to be the drug of choice,” says Captain Dan Penland with the Corrections Division with the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office. “It’s easier to transport and is less dangerous.”
Penland says about one or two times a month contraband is found inside the jail.
“These people are masters at doing this stuff.”
Sometimes that includes extreme measures with some inmates swallowing contraband and waiting for nature to take it’s course.
“A lot of these people are criminals that we are dealing with so they expect to come to jail so a lot of them will secrete it in their body,” says Penland.
Most recently, two inmates Jessie Arguelles and Jesse Ruiz, who has since been released, were allegedly found with marijuana. That’s a class C felony.
Twenty-one year old Ruiz appeared in court Wednesday morning and entered a not guilty plea on the contraband charge. Last September he was accused of sexually abusing a teen, giving her marijuana, and then burning her with a hot light bulb.
Arguelles, who was serving eight months for failing to register as a sex offender, received a month for the contraband.
It’s something Captain Penland says staff is always looking for.
“Staff is more aware so they are watching closer.”
He says the jail implemented new confidential security measures last summer after William Middlekauff, an inmate and Buddy Arnett, a contracted employee in the kitchen at the Jackson County jail were charged with supplying contraband in the jail. Arnett was accused of trading sexual favors for the contraband. Both men pleaded guilty.
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