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According to the Cobb County Sheriff’s Office, four people, including an attorney, have been indicted following an investigation into an alleged contraband trafficking operation that authorities say used attorney visitation privileges to smuggle synthetic cannabinoid-laced paper into the Cobb County Adult Detention Center.
The investigation was conducted by the Marietta/Cobb/Smyrna Narcotics Unit, led by the Cobb County Sheriff’s Office, in partnership with the Cobb County District Attorney’s Office. Investigators said they uncovered an alleged scheme involving paper infused with synthetic cannabinoids, commonly known as K2, that was delivered into the jail through attorney visits.
Authorities said investigators identified multiple suspected deliveries over an extended period. Four people have been indicted in connection with the case:
- A 47-year-old attorney.
- A 36-year-old man who was detained at the Adult Detention Center at the time of the alleged offenses and is now serving a prison sentence on unrelated charges.
- A 25-year-old detainee at the Adult Detention Center.
- A 29-year-old woman.
“Keeping synthetic drugs like K2 out of a detention facility is one of the hardest jobs in corrections today. These substances can be soaked into ordinary paper, which makes them nearly impossible to detect — and it’s why jails and prisons across the country are fighting this same battle,” said Sheriff Craig Owens.
The indictment includes allegations of violating Georgia’s Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act, possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute, use of a communication facility to facilitate drug trafficking, and introducing contraband into a detention facility.
“What made the difference in Cobb County was disciplined, thorough investigative work,” said Sheriff Owens. “Our MCS Unit and the District Attorney’s Office followed the evidence, worked side-by-side, and built a case that exposed this alleged scheme. When an attorney allegedly uses the access and trust of their profession to smuggle drugs into our jail, that is a profound betrayal of the court, their clients, and public safety. We will pursue such cases relentlessly.”
The Cobb County Sheriff’s Office said it remains committed to preventing illegal drugs and other contraband from entering its detention facilities, noting that smuggling controlled substances into correctional institutions can endanger inmates, detention officers and medical personnel.
As with all criminal cases, the charges contained in the indictment are allegations. All defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.