Inmates among 4 charged in recent incidents
Aug. 15—MOULTRIE, Ga. — Drugs and other contraband were a common theme for arrests as three men and one woman were charged in separate incidents last week.
Two prison inmates were found with prohibited items after a worksite search on Aug. 8, local authorities said.
Investigator Channing McDowell with the Moultrie Police Department-Colquitt County Sheriff's Office Drug Enforcement Team said they conducted several searches at Colquitt County inmate worksites that morning.
Officers searched Rodriguez Antione Birston, 40, of Moultrie around 10 a.m.
"Birston was found to be in possession of multiple cell phones in his work area," McDowell said in an interview Thursday.
He added, "Birston was the only inmate in the work detail site at the time of the search."
He was charged with a felony of unauthorized possession of prohibited items by an inmate.
Later that afternoon officers conducted searches at another Colquitt County work detail site.
Corvis D'Quan Calloway, 28, of Evans, was found to possess approximately 443.5 grams of marijuana.
McDowell said, "After searching Calloway, officers searched the work detail bus and found more marijuana."
Calloway was charged with unauthorized possession of a prohibited item by an inmate and possession of marijuana with intent to distribute.
Three days later on Thursday, Aug. 11, at approximately 9:30 a.m, an officer with the Berlin Police Department stopped a vehicle coming from Valdosta on Highway 133, according to McDowell.
"Upon contact with the driver, the officer smelled marijuana," he explained. "The driver admitted to having marijuana in the car."
McDowell identified Romel Morrison, 27, of Hampton, Ga., as the driver.
The officer searched the car and found 6.7 ounces of marijuana, four new cell phones and four new charging cables.
Morrison was charged with possession of marijuana with intent to distribute, driving while license suspended or revoked (first offense) and speeding (67 mph in a 45 mph zone).
That afternoon, McDowell responded to a call from the Colquitt County Jail asking for someone to help assist a gentleman in the lobby.
McDowell made contact with a 33-year-old Ohio resident named Anthony Lunsford.
"By the way of Lunsford's actions and mannerisms, he appeared to be under the influence of some type of substance," McDowell said in an interview Friday afternoon.
He initially searched Lunsford's person and found nothing.
After asking the reason for his visit, Lunsford explained he was turning in a pair of shoes for his girlfriend, Julie Canfield, who is currently an inmate at the Colquitt County Jail, according to McDowell.
He said, "After inspecting the shoes, I realized that the soles in the shoes were aftermarket."
The aftermarket soles were similar to a type of Dr. Scholl's insole and placed on top of the original sneaker soles.
He found the soles superglued to the shoe during the inspection.
"After removing the glued insoles, I found a substance that field tested positive for cocaine," McDowell added.
The cocaine substance was concealed in a small red paper wrapper. Lunsford's vehicle was also parked inside the CCSO guard line and subjected to a search at the time of Lunsford's visit.
"In the car, I found two small glass vials both containing crack cocaine, as well as a 'stem' also known as a crack pipe," McDowell said.
Lunsford was charged with possession of cocaine, a felony of crossing the guard line with drugs, conspiracy to commit a crime and providing inmates with contraband.
"Due to text message conversations between Lunsford and Canfield, she was also charged with conspiracy to provide inmates with contraband," McDowell concluded.
