Stacey Collins was jailed on May 6 for trafficking meth, now she’s charged with distributing drugs inside the Habersham County jail.
Today, investigators charged the 43-year-old Alto woman with distribution of a Schedule I controlled substance after they say Collins solicited drug-laced mail and gave it to her fellow inmates. Ten of the inmates became ill after ingesting the drugs and had to be treated at the county hospital.
Deputies initially charged Collins with nine counts of reckless conduct. According to Maj. Murray Kogod of the Habersham County Sheriff’s Office, additional interviews and evidence led to the distribution charge.
On Monday evening, May 24, six inmates became lethargic and extremely ill. Officials transported them to Habersham Medical Center for treatment. Later that evening, four more inmates were taken to the hospital. All of the women were treated and released and returned to jail. Officials are still trying to figure out what type of narcotic was involved.
“It is undetermined at this time but suspected to be a synthetic cannabinoid known as K2,” Kogod tells Now Habersham.
Investigators from HCSO and the Appalachian Regional Drug Enforcement Office are working on a joint investigation to identify who sent the drug-laced letters.
The incident has prompted jail staff to review their mail handling procedures. Currently, they can only physically inspect the mail, Kogod says. “However, we are exploring third-party scanner options that may be available through a current provider at the jail.”
Collins’ initial arrest followed a five-month-long joint investigation by state and local law enforcement. She was picked up during a traffic stop. Investigators said at the time she was carrying five one-gallon bags of methamphetamine in her vehicle.
She was arrested six years ago in White County on similar charges.
