Charges have been filed against several inmates at the Jim E. Hamilton Correctional Center in Hodgen who have been caught with drugs either in their cells on their persons. According to court documents Correctional Officers John McNamara and Brian Reading were conducting a routine cell shakedown on March 9.

As the officers approached the cell occupied by Dameon Atkinson and Tory Rogers they told the two inmates to step out for a routine pat down. The report states as McNamara was searching Atkinson he felt a bulge in the belt seam of his pants. 
Atkinson was placed in restraints and escorted to the Security Control Center for a strip search.
Atkinson denied having anything in the seam of his pants and when McNamara proceeded with the search some toilet paper fell out on the floor.

 

Wrapped in the paper was a green leafy substance which tested positive for marijuana. On March 23 Correc-tional Officers Jason Harell, Ben Porter and Brian Reeding were called to the gym to escort four suspected offenders to the Security Control Center because Recreation Supervisor Lance Yandell had smelled marijuana in the exercise area.
Upon their arrival the convicts were asked if they had any contraband on them and one inmate answered in the affirmative and gave the officer a tortilla package containing what appeared to be tobacco. 

 

The contents of the package were inspected and a white folded piece of paper was found in the middle of the tobacco.
The paper contained a green leafy substance which later tested positive for marijuana.
On April 8 Correctional Officer Brian Reading walked into the C side of the cell house and reportedly smelled an odor consistent with marijuana.  Reading then called for assistance from Correctional Officer Matt Hill and they proceeded to conduct a shakedown of the cell house. According to court records Reading approached the cell occupied by Shane Seyffert and Clyde Williams and told them to step out to be patted down. 
During the search Reading found a bandage taped to the bottom of a desk with a black plastic bag containing a green leafy substance. 

 

Both offenders were placed in restraints and escorted to the Security Control Center.  Lieutenant Jeff Palmer tested the substance and it tested positive for marijuana.
On April 12 Correctional Officer Bobby Bowen was clearing the chapel for a special count when he noticed an offender pass something to offender Kevin Kirby.   Bowen stopped Kirby and told him to give him what he had received.  According to the affidavit, Kirby took two steps past Bowen and then turned back toward him.  As Kirby was turning around Bowen saw Kirby dropped something on the ground and attempt to walk away. 
The officer retrieved what had been dropped and found it to be a piece of white paper rolled up in the shape of a cigarette. 

 

Bowen placed Kirby in restraints and escorted him to the Security Control Center. The paper was unwrapped by prison officials and a green leafy substance which tested positive for marijuana was found. These inmates are now charged with possession of contraband in a penal institution.