BRYAN, Texas — A correctional officer with the TDCJ Hamilton Unit located in Bryan has been arrested and accused of bringing pills into the prison to allegedly sell to inmates.
Lauren Smith, 32, of College Station, is charged with bringing a prohibited substance into a correctional facility.
According to a probable cause statement filed by the Office of the Inspector General, the warden of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice Hamilton Unit called around 6:30 p.m. on November 30 to report Smith had come to work with "numerous pills."
An investigator with the Office of the Inspector General responded to the prison. Unit Administration allegedly told the investigator they had found a pill bottle with Smith's name on it.
The bottle was for prescribed Adderall, however, Unit Administration claimed they inspected the pills and found there were 13 Adderall pills, 7 Xanax pills and 6 Tramadol pills.
All of the pills found are considered to be controlled substances. According to the investigator, they said they talked with Smith, who allegedly admitted to knowing the pills were not to be in the prison facility and that she knew the rules and policy concerning controlled substances.
According to the investigator, they said they see cases like this typically happen where the pills will be exchanged with inmates in order to make some money.
Smith was arrested at the prison facility. She was taken to the Brazos County Jail and is currently being held on an $8,000 bond. It is not known at this time how long Smith has worked for that unit.