A Maricopa County correctional officer was arrested after allegedly attempting to smuggle methamphetamine and fentanyl into a jail, police announced Wednesday.
In a press conference, Maricopa County Sheriff Paul Penzone said Andres Salazar was arrested after initially being placed on administrative leave. Salazar, 26, is facing charges of possession of a narcotic, promoting prison contraband and transport for sale, Penzone said.
Salazar was allegedly planning to sneak nearly 100 fentanyl pills into the Lower Buckeye Jail. He was reportedly working with at least one inmate at the jail, as well as outside connections. The correctional officer was unsuccessful in his alleged drug trafficking scheme, with deputies confronting him in the parking lot, according to Penzone.
“I’m disgusted,” the sheriff continued. “This young man [Salazar], whatever led him to make this decision, will now not only lose his career, but most likely the future that he has for himself is definitely going to be hindered in an adverse way.”
Investigators had been monitoring Salazar for just over four weeks before arresting him, Penzone continued. Deputies waited to arrest Salazar after he allegedly received a $1,000 payment from an unidentified source involved in the reported drug scheme, in hopes of finding potential accomplices, according to Penzone.
This was Salazar’s first effort at sneaking drugs into the jail, Penzone reported.
The sheriff said the department would install body scanners in every Maricopa County jail to better ensure no drugs or contraband are snuck inside. Visitors, correctional officers and employees will have to enter through a security scanner. (RELATED: Texas Flight Attendant Pleads Guilty To Drug Smuggling Charge)
Penzone added he is confident other jail employees and correctional staff won’t make drug smuggling attempts. But, Penzone said, “we live in a society where humans are flawed and failed and we see good people do bad things and bad things happen.”
“And if we truly want to be a drug-free, safe jail system we have to take every step possible and that means demanding that our employees become comfortable with the idea that we should be checking them as they entered too as well as everyone else,” the sheriff added.
Watch the full press conference below: