BECKLEY, W.Va. (WVVA) – Over the weekend, a man was apprehended attempting to smuggle contraband into a local federal prison.
According to Sheriff Frank Priddy, deputies responded to the Federal Correctional Institution (FCI) Beckley following reports of a possible contraband delivery near the facility’s recreational yard.
Correctional officers reported seeing a man exiting the wood line adjacent to the prison. That man was identified as Julius Covington. Deputies say it was found that he possessed a cell phone connected to an inmate under surveillance for coordinating contraband exchanges.
Police say Covington was eventually found concealing three wrapped packages containing the following:
Package 1: Four cell phones and a list of names/emails for setup
Package 2: One vape pen, cartridge, and five sheets of paper laced with methamphetamine
Package 3: Multiple cell phone chargers, USB cables, and one set of earbuds
Police say the “prison value” of these items is $100,000
Deputies report that Covington admitted to conspiring with another person to smuggle these items onto prison grounds for inmate distribution. He was been charged with Bringing Contraband to Jail and Conspiracy to Commit a Felony.
He is currently housed in Southern Regional Jail on a $1,000,000 cash/surety bond.
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