Two inmates and one Jonesborough resident have been indicted by a grand jury on charges of bringing drugs into the Washington County Detention Center.
An investigation by Washington County Sheriff’s Department Detention Center deputies led to the arrests of Jarred Shaffer, 22, Melissa Shaffer Love, 48, and Shawn Thrift, 38, on charges of Introduction of Contraband into Penal Facility, (Conspiracy to Commit).
All three are residents of Jonesborough, and they are each being held on a $20,000 bond.
Shaffer and Thrift were inmates in the Detention Center at the time. Love is Shaffer’s mother, according to the sheriff’s office.
“This represents a small dent in our continuing efforts to address the problem of drugs inside our Detention Center,” Sheriff Keith Sexton said.
The three allegedly attempted to introduce 13 Suboxone strips and 11 Suboxone pills into the facility. According to the sheriff’s office, deputies thwarted the attempt due to information obtained from texts sent by the inmates via Chirpers. Chirpers are similar to cell phones, but can only send and receive text messages.
All texts are monitored by WCSO deputies and inmates pay a fee for each incoming and outgoing text.
Shaffer was originally booked in on Violation of Probation (2), Bond Revocation and Failure to Appear (3). Thrift was originally booked in for Violation of Probation.
More arrests are anticipated in this ongoing investigation.
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