Defense Attorney Arrested for Drug Smuggling in Harris County Jail

The Harris County Sheriff’s Office (HCSO) announced the arrest of 39-year-old defense attorney Hunter Simmons this morning, accusing him of smuggling drug-laced papers into the county detention facility.

The HCSO Human Trafficking Unit began investigating possible drug smuggling in the jail after an unrelated human trafficking inquiry suggested illicit activity. Through gathered evidence, Simmons was identified as a potential accomplice, allegedly delivering drugs to his client, an inmate.

Last week, officers recovered several sheets of paper laced with synthetic marijuana as part of the investigation. Additionally, investigators identified two alleged accomplices: Tanisha Denise Butler, 40, and Joshua Jovan Piper, 22, who reportedly helped transport the drugs from the supplier to Simmons.

Simmons, Butler, and Piper face charges of Engaging in Organized Criminal Activity and Prohibited Substance in a Correctional Facility, each carrying a potential sentence of two to twenty years.

The HCSO continues to investigate, with further charges possible. Sheriff Ed Gonzalez, who founded the Criminal Investigations and Security Division in 2023, has since implemented heightened security protocols, including metal detectors, drug-sniffing dogs, and more rigorous visitor and employee screening to combat drug smuggling in the jail.