RICHMOND, VIRGINIA — One person has been arrested and charged after more than $96,000 in drugs (prison value) were seized during an attempted smuggling at Pocahontas State Correctional Center.
The incident occurred on Saturday, January 3 during visitation hours at the facility.
Paula Saunders Daniel of Halifax has been charged with one count of Manufacturing, selling, giving, distributing, or possessing with intent to manufacture, sell, give, or distribute a controlled substance or an imitation controlled substance prohibited and one count of Delivery of drugs to prisoners or committed persons in Tazewell County General District Court.
Virginia Department of Corrections (VADOC) Office of Law Enforcement Services (OLES) special agents received intelligence that Daniel might be attempting to smuggle drugs to an inmate at Pocahontas. After Daniel arrived at the facility Saturday, a detection K-9 alerted on Daniel, who later voluntarily surrendered a package to special agents and voluntarily said the package contained Buprenorphine strips.
After being arrested, Daniel consented to a search of the vehicle she drove to the facility, which led to the discovery of more Buprenorphine and a small amount of suspected cocaine.
“Pocahontas State Correctional Center and our facilities as a whole are safer today thanks to the great investigative work from our Office of Law Enforcement Services (OLES) team members who work hand-in-hand with our staff inside our facilities around the clock to keep Virginia’s correctional centers safe and secure,” said VADOC Director Chad Dotson. “I thank them for their great work, and hope this serves as a reminder that drugs and illegal contraband have absolutely no place inside our facilities.”
The VADOC has zero tolerance for the attempted smuggling of drugs or contraband into its facilities. Anyone with information concerning attempted smuggling is urged to call 540-830-9280.
OLES special agents are actively investigating this case. The VADOC will have no further comment at this time.