WASHINGTON COUNTY, Ga. — A Florida man was arrested after deputies say he fled near the perimeter of Washington State Prison while carrying contraband.
Deputies responded around 5:35 a.m. on June 22 to a report of a suspicious vehicle on private property near the rear perimeter of the prison, according to the Washington County Sheriff’s Office.
K-9 tracking and evidence at the scene led deputies toward the prison grounds, where they spotted a suspect carrying suspected contraband, according to the sheriff’s office. Patrol deputies, K-9 units and the sheriff’s office drone team then launched a coordinated search of the area.
When deputies approached the suspect, he fled on foot into a heavily wooded area. Deputies later found and arrested him near Burden Street without further incident.
After the arrest, K-9 Rebel located bundles of contraband that had been discarded during the pursuit, the sheriff’s office said. The items were recovered, photographed and secured as evidence.
The suspect was identified as James Lamar Stewart of Jacksonville, Florida. He faces multiple charges, including possession of a firearm or knife during the commission of a crime, items prohibited by inmates, trading with inmates, possession of marijuana with intent to distribute and obstruction.
Stewart’s vehicle was impounded and taken to the Washington County Law Enforcement Center for further investigation. The recovered contraband was turned over to investigators for processing and analysis.
