ATHENS–The Henderson County Sheriff’s Office said in a social media release March 15 that it learned of a plan the day before to bring drugs into the Henderson County jail in Athens via an eczema cream tube, leading to the arrest of two Eustace-area women.
The sheriff’s office said in the post that in the days leading up to March 14, Henderson County Narcotics Investigator Jude Bonner was investigating narcotics trafficking within Henderson County.
“During the investigation, information was received that Megan Chapman and Shannon Boyle were planning to deliver illegal narcotics to the Henderson County jail on Saturday morning (March 14),” the post stated.
According to the sheriff’s office, Lt. David Robertson, investigators Jude Bonner, Dawson McGee and Brigan Johnson, and K9 deputies Jonathan Daille and Edwin Rodriguez intercepted a narcotics drop disguised as an eczema cream tube that the sheriff’s office alleged was intended to introduce what the sheriff’s office classifies as illegal drugs into the Henderson County Jail.
The sheriff’s office said the eczema cream tube contained multiple individually packaged small balloons of various colors. Henderson County investigators determined the balloons contained suspected narcotics including cocaine, heroin, methamphetamine and various illegal pills, the sheriff’s office post said.
The sheriff’s office said the delivery was made by Megan Chapman and Shannon Boyle, who authorities said are both from the Eustace area. The Henderson County sheriff’s office post said investigators believe the narcotics were intended to be delivered to two inmates, Jessy Pierce and Joshua Sallings, who are both currently housed at the Henderson County Jail, according to the sheriff’s office.
The sheriff’s office post said that while interviews were being conducted, Boyle allegedly admitted to having methamphetamines inside her purse, along with a glass pipe. The sheriff’s office also stated in its online post that Chapman also allegedly admitted to having more drugs at her residence.
The sheriff’s office reported in its social media post that a search of Chapman’s residence in the 11000 block of County Road 2918 in the Eustace area allegedly resulted in the tools and packages that the sheriff’s office believes were used to conceal the narcotics intercepted at the jail, along with what the sheriff’s office said were methamphetamines, marijuana and THC gummies.
The sheriff’s office reported in the post that the investigation remains ongoing and additional charges may be filed pending the conclusion of the investigation. The sheriff’s office listed the charges for the four people, two of whom were the inmates lodged in the Henderson County jail that the sheriff’s office had alluded to, and who had more charges added to the crimes that had already brought them there, the sheriff’s office said.
The sheriff’s office said Chapman was arrested for two different charges of manufacture and/or delivery of a controlled substance, engaging in organized criminal activity and for prohibited substance inside a correctional facility (the Henderson County jail).
Boyle’s charges reported by the sheriff’s office were two different charges of manufacture and/or delivery of a controlled substance, engaging in organized criminal activity, prohibited substance inside a correctional facility and possession of a controlled substance.
As for the inmates, their charges reported by the sheriff’s office include (for Jessy Pierce) two different charges of manufacture and/or delivery of a controlled substance, engaging in organized criminal activity and prohibited substance inside a correctional facility.
As for the second inmate, Joshua Sallings, his charges reported by the Henderson County Sheriff’s Office are also two different charges of manufacture and/or delivery of a controlled substance, engaging in organized criminal activity and prohibited substance inside a correctional facility.
The Henderson County Sheriff’s Office stated in its post reporting the arrests that it “remains committed to preventing the introduction of illegal narcotics into the jail system and prioritizing the safety of both inmates and staff.”