By Alan Mauldin
The Moultrie Observer
MOULTRIE — A prison guard observed a hand-off on Friday of suspected drugs to an inmate at the county’s landfill, leading to charges against the inmate and the man accused of the delivery.
Officers seized about an ounce of suspected methamphetamine and about a half ounce of marijuana, a Colquitt County Sheriff’s Office drug agent said. They also found a small amount of cigarette tobacco.
A third prisoner, the suspected final recipient of the contraband, also will be charged, Colquitt County Sheriff’s Office Inv. Jerome Burgess said.
A Colquitt County Correctional Institution officer saw Daniel Paul Hamilton, in a white Chevrolet Tahoe, drive into the area near where prisoners were working, he said.
“One of the guards saw Mr. Daniel Hamilton get out of the vehicle and hand Joseph French a package and he was confronted by (two guards),” Burgess said. “They intercepted him as he (French) was sticking it in his pocket.
“He (Hamilton) dropped off some tobacco, lighters, methamphetamine and marijuana to an inmate who was on work detail. He had possession of the stuff and he drove out to the landfill on Shade Murphy Road.”
Hamilton, 31, 4392 Tallokas Road, was charged with possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute and possession of marijuana with intent to distribute.
French, 29, was charged with conspiracy to possess items prohibited by an inmate.
Further investigation revealed that French was supposed to take the package inside the prison and turn it over to another inmate, Burgess said. That inmate will be charged with two counts of possession of items prohibited by an inmate, the investigator said.
Burgess said that others, who are not inmates, could be charged as the investigation continues.