Visitors arrested at Putnamville Correctional Facility
PUTNAMVILLE -- Two female visitors to Putnamville Correctional Facility were arrested Thursday for attempting to traffic with offenders during visits.
During a routine pat down search, visitor Amber Lea Edmond, 30, Indianapolis, was discovered to be in possession of three cell phones, three cell phone chargers, one SIM card, one cell phone battery, tobacco and marijuana.
Edmond was placed under arrest by Correctional Police Officers David Wire and Quentin Storm, pending charges for attempting to traffic with an offender.
The offender Edmond was attempting to visit was Antwan Person. Offender Person has a current projected release date of July 12, 2014 for dealing cocaine, a Class B Felony.
On the same day, Wanda Latham, 54, Indianapolis, was arrested for attempting to traffic with her son Jason Latham. Offender Latham has a current projected release date of December 24, 2013 for a felony firearm possession, a Class D Felony.
After a previous visit, the facility's internal affairs department was made aware that Wanda Latham was intending to traffic with offender Latham. Upon entering the facility, Latham was approached by correctional police officer Lt. Troy Keith for questioning.
During questioning, she surrendered a package containing one bag of tobacco, two bags of marijuana weighing 30.3 grams and 19 strips of Suboxone. Lt. Keith then placed Latham under arrest for the possession of a controlled substance and attempting to traffic with an offender.
Child Protective Services (CPS) was called to pick up Latham's 3-year-old granddaughter whom she had brought with her to the facility. CPS later determined that the child could be released to her mother.
Edmond and Latham were transported to the Putnam County Jail, where they await their initial hearings, scheduled for Tuesday. Trafficking with an offender is a criminal offense and is a Class D Felony, punishable by imprisonment of up to eight years and a $10,000 fine.
Putnamville Superintendent Bruce Lemmon commended his staff for its due diligence, which resulted in the identification and confiscation of this contraband. Indiana Department of Correction Commissioner Edwin G. Buss also offered his appreciation to staff for thwarting this attempt to violate and jeopardize the security of the facility.