HOPE, Ark.–A woman who allegedly brought marijuana and cigarettes to a Hempstead County jail inmate a week after she was hired has been charged with a felony.
Micah Shakim Cooper, 22, started her first night shift at the jail on Feb. 19 and on Feb. 27, an inmate informed jail administrators that she was bringing contraband, specifically marijuana and Newport cigarettes, to a 23-year-old man being detained in the jail on charges of terroristic threatening, drug possession and terroristic act, according to jail records and a probable cause affidavit.
On March 1, the Hempstead County Sheriff’s Office conducted a search of inmate cells, turning water off before they began so contraband couldn’t be flushed. Marijuana was recovered and linked to the inmate Cooper had allegedly been bringing marijuana and tobacco. The inmate, Randy Caldwell Jr., refused to take a drug test after claiming he hadn’t used drugs while in jail.
Jail records show Caldwell has been in custody since December.
A warrant was issued for Cooper on March 1 and she was released after paying 10% of a $1,500 bond set for her by Circuit Judge Joe Short following an initial court appearance that day.
Cooper has been charged with furnishing prohibited articles. The charge is typically punishable by five to 20 years in prison and a fine up to $15,000. However, because Cooper was an employee of the jail at the time of her alleged criminal conduct, she faces an enhanced penalty range.
As part of the enhancement, Cooper faces up to 10 additional years in prison which must be served consecutively to any sentence received for the underlying charge and an additional fine of up to $10,000.
Cooper is scheduled to return to court for a pretrial hearing later this month.
