LANSING ? Yesterday, Michigan Department of Corrections Officer Joshua Evans, 46, of Jackson, was arraigned in the 12th District Court in Jackson for allegedly smuggling narcotics into the Parnall Correctional Facility, announced Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel. Evans is charged (PDF) with one count of Delivery/Manufacture of Schedule 1, 2, and 3 Controlled Substances Except Marihuana, Methamphetamine, Ecstasy, and Cocaine, a 7-year felony, and one count of Bringing Contraband into Prisons, a 5-year felony.?

On July 11, Evans, who worked at Parnall Correctional Facility, was allegedly found to be in possession of 151 strips of Buprenorphine, brand name Suboxone, a Schedule 3 substance, in the visiting room at the facility. ?

?Smuggling narcotics into a prison not only endangers the lives of inmates and staff but also undermines some of the rehabilitation efforts that are crucially in place in our penitentiaries,? Nessel said. ?My department will continue working with our law enforcement partners to maintain the integrity of our correctional facilities and ensure those who violate the law are held accountable.??

This investigation was conducted by Michigan State Police and remains active and ongoing. Evans will next appear in the 12th District Court for a Probable Cause Conference on August 16th at 1 p.m.