A convicted murderer and her son could each be facing prison time soon after a scheme to allegedly sneak a variety of drugs into a local prison.
The Union County Grand Jury has indicted Tina McDowell and her son Jerh Walters, charging both with two counts of illegal conveyance of drugs of abuse onto grounds of a specified governmental facility.
McDowell is serving a 30-year to life sentence in the Dayton Correctional Institution, convicted of aggravated murder, aggravated robbery and tampering with evidence. She was previously confined at the Ohio Reformatory for Women.
The conviction stemmed from Lutrecia Brown’s death during the early morning hours of December 15, 2002. McDowell beat Brown then stabbed her through the heart. She took money from the dead woman and used it to buy crack cocaine. Later, she went back to the dead woman’s home and robbed the corpse, using the money to again buy crack.
In October 2017, McDowell was serving her sentence in the Ohio Reformatory for Women. Investigators learned that McDowell and her son, Walters, were allegedly making plans to have him bring drugs into the prison during a visit as part of a life group family day. When Walters arrived, investigators allowed him to come into the prison. Once he was in the facility, investigators detained him for questioning.
“He admitted that he had drugs on him,” said Union County Prosecutor Dave Phillips.
Investigators found two balloons in his shoe. Inside one balloon was 100 K6 (Cyclobenzaprine Hydrochloride) pills and 34 Suboxone strips.
“I don’t know what he planned to do with it once it was in the prison,” Phillips said. “At some point, I presume he would have given it to her.”
If convicted on all charges, McDowell could face an additional 10 years behind bars and Walters, if convicted, could also face a decade in prison.
A drug investigation inside the prison also led to the indictment of Cara Henry, 32, of the Dayton Correctional Institution. Henry is charged with one count of possession of drugs. In December 2017, Henry was serving a more than five year prison sentence in the Ohio Reformatory for Women stemming from convictions for possession of drugs and illegal conveyance of drugs into a detention facility. According to court documents, on Dec. 13, 2017, prison investigators were told about a note, being passed from inmate to inmate. Phillips said that one of the inmates told officials and turned over the note.
“Inside the note were drugs,” Phillips explained.
Court documents indicate the note had Buprenorphine, a highly addictive narcotic used to treat pain as well as addiction to other narcotic pain relievers.
“An investigation provided evidence that it was Ms. Henry’s,” Phillips said.
If convicted, Henry could face an additional five years on her prison sentence.
Phillips explained that inmates will do, “a variety of creative things to get drugs into a prison.”
He said bringing drugs into the prison is “a dumb idea.”
“There are signs up, warning you that you are subject to search at any time,” Phillips said.
The prosecutor said he did not want to talk about how investigators learned of the plans, though he said prison officials monitor visits, mail phone call and other communications. He said they also “develop internal intelligence.”
Phillips said that in addition to monitoring all communication, inmates and cells are searched.
“All of the time, individuals out there are searched for contraband, whether it is drug or weapons or whatever,” Phillips said.
Also indicted was:
- Joshua J. Scott, 38, of 980 N. Maple St., Marysville. Scott is charged with one count of possession of heroin stemming from a July 29 incident. If convicted, Scott could face as many as 12 months in prison.
- Natasha Cooper, 27, of Portsmouth. Cooper is charged with two counts of possession of drugs, stemming from an October 2017 incident involving both Buprenorphine and Tramadol. Phillips said the offense could have been charged as a misdemeanor, but Cooper has a prior drug history, including a 2014 conviction for drug abuse in Scioto County. He said that history enhances the allegation to a felony charge.
If convicted on both counts, Cooper could face as many as 24 months in prison. - Jeremy Wilcox, 30, of 26881 state Route 4, Richwood. Wilcox is charged with one count each of possession of drugs, possession of hashish and possession of marijuana stemming from a July 28 incident. If convicted on all charges, Wilcox could face more than a year in prison.
- Olivia Ruth Baum, 27, of 48 N. High St., Mt. Victory. Baum is charged with one count of selling, purchasing, distributing or delivering dangerous drugs. According to court documents, on Oct. 25, Baum attempted to see her prescription of Gabapentin. Gabapentin works in the brain to prevent seizures and relieve pain for certain conditions in the nervous system.
If convicted, Baum could face as many as 18 months in prison.