Child, 6, was used to smuggle drugs to inmate at Suffolk jail, sheriff says
Investigators searched the inmate and found K2 spice, a synthetic version of marijuana, along with matches, authorities said. Credit: Suffolk County Sheriff's Office
A visitor to the Suffolk County jail in Riverhead used a 6-year-old child to smuggle synthetic marijuana to an inmate in January, County Sheriff Errol D. Toulon Jr. said Friday as he announced charges against both adults.
During a visit to the jail on Jan. 14 this year, sheriff’s office investigators noticed Shanita Limehouse, 39, of Hempstead, using the child to transfer contraband to inmate Kadeem Lewis, 29, authorities said.
Lewis was searched and investigators found K2 spice, a synthetic version of marijuana, along with matches, authorities said.
The relationship between Lewis and Limehouse was not disclosed. It was not immediately clear if the child was Limehouse's.
“With this arrest, our officers were not only able to stop contraband from entering our facility, they also protected the welfare of an innocent child who was exploited to commit this crime," Toulon said. "Drugs inside the jail are worth 10 times what they are on the streets — making them even more dangerous and more likely to cause violent fights and medical emergencies."
Lewis, who remains jailed, was charged on March 2 with first-degree promoting prison contraband, fifth-degree conspiracy and endangering the welfare of a child.
Limehouse was arrested on Thursday and faces the same three charges.
Attorney and arraignment information was not immediately available.
Child Protective Services also was notified of the incident.
Robert Brodsky is a breaking news reporter who has worked at Newsday since 2011. He is a Queens College and American University alum.
