Woman pleads guilty to hiding vape pen in inmate's lunch at Racine County Jail

RACINE COUNTY, Wis. (CBS 58) -- A 30-year-old Kenosha woman will spend a year behind bars after pleading guilty to smuggling in drugs into the Racine County Jail. 

According to the Racine County Sheriff's Office, in August of 2022, a corrections officer at the jail found a lunch tray intended for a specific inmate that had a nicotine vape pen hidden in the food. 

An investigation determined an Aramark employee, identified as Kristie Jones, was in a relationship with the inmate and had placed the vape pen in his food. Aramark is the company the sheriff's office contracts with to provide food services within the jail. 

Officials arrested Jones and while being booked into jail, she was put through the body scanner and authorities found a vape pen containing marijuana in her vagina.

Later in the investigation, a cellphone was found hidden in the kitchen area of the jail believed to be used by Jones. 

Jones was charged with two counts of delivering illegal articles to inmate and possession of THC. 

On Oct. 27, 2023, Jones pleaded guilty to one count of delivering illegal articles to inmate and one count of possession of THC. The other count was dismissed. 

Jones was sentenced to one year in prison and one year of extended supervision. 

On Nov. 9, the sheriff's office transported Jones to the Taycheedah Correctional Institution to serve her sentence.

Sheriff Schmaling stated, “As I have previously promised, anyone who smuggles contraband into the Racine County Jail will eventually be caught, arrested, and severely punished.”