By Billy Hobbs
The Union-Recorder, Milledgeville, Ga.
MILLEDGEVILLE, Ga. — A Savannah man was recently arrested for attempting to smuggle illegal drugs and other contraband into Baldwin State Prison near Milledgeville, The Union-Recorder has learned.
The illegal contraband was hidden inside three leather footballs, authorities said.
The suspect was identified as Cornell Aldridge, according to an incident report filed by Milledgeville Police Department Officer Michael Eason.
After his arrest on Nov. 27, he was taken to the Baldwin County Law Enforcement Center where he was jailed on pending charges expected to be filed by state authorities.
Aldridge was taken into custody after a Georgia Department of Corrections K-9 team found what was described as multiple bundles of contraband, according to a brief press release from officials with the Georgia Department of Corrections.
Some of the items found inside the footballs included plastic bags of marijuana, cellphones and chargers and six packs of cigarettes.
Eason said in his report that Aldridge was found standing near the Georgia Department of Corrections K-9 Kennels, directly across from Baldwin State Prison.
Police officers went to the scene to assist state corrections officers with a call about a suspicious person, Eason said in his report.
During questioning by authorities, Aldridge reportedly said he had been in a blue Dodge Charger with a man he identified as “Slim,” as well as another man he did not know, according to the incident report.
The men reportedly told Aldridge that they were going to travel to a “country town.”
Alridge told police that he asked them to stop near the prison so he could use the restroom and that when he got out of the car, the driver drove off leaving him there.
As the driver was leaving, Aldridge told authorities he was nearly run over.
It wasn’t long before Alridge said he saw a corrections officer driving his way in a vehicle.
While Aldridge was telling officers what had reportedly happened, additional officers checking the perimeter discovered three footballs, which contained a variety of illegal contraband.
Officers later patted Aldridge down and found a cigarette lighter on him, as well as chapstick, and what was described as a custom-made pipe with marijuana residue on it.
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