CLEVELAND — A Cuyahoga County corrections officer who was arrested last week by narcotics officers for allegedly providing inmates with drugs has been indicted by a grand jury.
Officer Stephen A. Thomas was indicted on the following charges:
- Illegal conveyance of drugs of abuse onto grounds of specified governmental facility
- Trafficking in fentanyl related compounds
- Possessing criminal tools
- Possession of fentanyl related compounds
- Trafficking in heroin
- Bribery (three counts)
- Illegal conveyance of communications device onto the grounds of a specified governmental facility
- Obstructing justice
- Corrupting another with drugs (two counts)
Court records state that a detective watching jail security cameras saw the on-duty corrections officer giving drugs to an inmate. When authorities later searched the cell, they found 10 suspected oxycodone pills, court documents stated. Investigators also say they found part of a plastic glove containing suspected drugs when they searched Thomas after his arrest.
RELATED: Cuyahoga County Jail corrections officer arrested by narcotics detectives
The indictment states that Thomas allegedly sold heroin and fentanyl to inmates at the jail. One of the inmates later overdosed but survived, according to court records.
Thomas also allegedly gave a cell phone to an inmate in exchange for money and provided other prisoners vape pens and cell phone batteries.
He’s been accused of giving an inmate a heads up to when cell searches would take place, court records state.
Thomas is scheduled to appear in court on May 31.
MORE: News 5's continuing coverage of the issues plaguing the Cuyahoga County Jail
