Methamphetamine found on inmate at St. Clair County Jail
A Belleville man was found to be in possession of methamphetamine in St. Clair County Jail last weekend.
On Monday, the St. Clair County State’s Attorney’s Office charged Dennis A. Owens Jr., 30, with unlawful possession of contraband in a penal institution for the incident. According to the St. Clair County Sheriff’s Department, Owens was being held in the jail on an unrelated failure to appear probation violation warrant. He’d been in the jail since March 14.
When jail employees conducted a search of Owens’ cell on March 23, they discovered methamphetamine on him, Capt. Bruce Fleshren of the sheriff’s department said. According to charging documents, the amount was more than 5 grams, but less than 15.
Last month, a Collinsville woman was charged with unlawful possession of a controlled substance after it was discovered she had fentanyl inside the jail. That charge was the second time she’d been caught with drugs in the jail.
According to St. Clair County Sheriff’s Deputy James Hendricks, people who are brought into the jail are searched twice by arresting officers before coming in and are searched at the jail’s sally port before they’re told to go through a body scanner. Hendricks said the body scanner, which was installed last year, provides an extra layer of security and has replaced strip searches.
“It’s a very valuable tool, but at the end of the day, it’s just a tool,” he said earlier this month.
Fleshren echoed similar sentiments on Thursday.
“Every effort is made to thoroughly search each and every individual who is brought in to the jail,” he wrote in a news release. “You can only imagine the degree someone will go to to try and bring contraband into the jail. Thus, the reason for regular checks and searches to ensure the safety of all who not only work here, but are also being held here.”
Owens’ next appearance in St. Clair County Court is Friday at 1 p.m.
This story was originally published March 28, 2019 at 6:14 PM.
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