A Bell County deputy jailer has been charged with promoting contraband, first degree.
34-year-old Sonya Warren, of Pineville, was charged on Thursday and is being held on a $5,000 cash bond.
WRIL reports that the complaint warrant was taken out by Chief Deputy Jailer Joe Coe and executed by Bell County Sheriff’s Deputy Jody Risner. According to the warrant, on March 29 inmate Jacob Lowe convinced Warren to bring contraband items into the facility to give to him. This was confirmed via an investigation into recorded inmate phone calls and text messages from their chirp devices.
Among those items were a rechargeable tattoo gun, charger, battery pack, and tattoo needles which were found during a cell search. Inmate Lowe admitted to the incident and a prior incident involving Warren bringing him contraband.
It was noted in the citation that the tattoo needles were considered dangerous and could be used as weapons causing immediate physical injury.
Sonya Warren is being held on a $5,000 cash bond.