Defense Attorney Arrested for Drug Smuggling at Harris County Jail

In a shocking turn of events, 77-year-old defense attorney Ronald Lewis found himself facing charges last weekend after being arrested for allegedly smuggling drugs into the Harris County Jail. Lewis has been charged with possessing a prohibited substance in a correctional facility, a felony that could result in a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison. He was released after posting a $15,000 bond.

The arrest follows an investigation initiated earlier this year by Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez, prompted by a significant increase in drug overdoses within the jail. The Sheriff’s newly formed investigative division had received information suggesting that an attorney might be supplying inmates with sheets of paper laced with ecstasy and synthetic marijuana during in-person visits.

Sheriff Gonzalez stated that his team was prepared when Lewis visited the jail on November 17, leading to his arrest. Multiple sheets of paper contaminated with an unknown substance were reportedly discovered during the arrest, and tests are being conducted to identify the substance.

“I want to thank our team for their phenomenal work, which is ongoing. They will continue following evidence wherever it leads because we are determined to stop the flow of these dangerous drugs into our jail,” Gonzalez said.

The investigation revealed that Lewis had been smuggling drug-laced papers into the Baker Street jail for at least the past four months. Authorities claim that he distributed 154 contaminated sheets to 14 different inmates. The inmates allegedly paid Lewis between $250 and $500 for the drug-laced papers.

Sheriff Gonzalez expressed concern that the jail’s drug problem extends beyond Lewis’ actions, stating, “While this first major arrest happens to be an attorney, we are not cynical or naive enough to think that this one arrest will solve our jail drug problem.”

According to investigators, at least two inmates died during the period when the drugs were being smuggled into the jail. Sheriff Gonzalez highlighted that the creation of the new investigative division was in response to an increasing number of inmates requiring emergency treatment for apparent life-threatening overdoses.

The investigation is ongoing as authorities work to address the broader issue of drug smuggling within the jail.