Colorado Woman Caught Sending Drugs To Oklahoma County Jail Inmate

Colorado resident Krystyl Johnson is accused of mailing three suspicious packages to Benjamin Rhodes, an inmate at the Oklahoma County Detention Center a year ago. 

Officials said smuggling drugs into the jail is more common than you think.

“As always, we get hit from all sides. People try to sneak it in, some people during visitation try and sneak it in, we’ve arrested some detention officers trying to sneak it in,” said Mark Opgrande, the Oklahoma County Detention Center communications director.

An affidavit obtained by News 9 stated that the packages had “an unusual feel to them” and were marked “legal mail.”

When the mailroom employee opened one it had a white crystal-like substance and a brown leafy substance inside.

“When the first package came in, it was marked ‘legal mail.’ Most cases with legal mail that is something that is not searched. In this case the package felt odd,” said Opgrande. “They could tell there was something else in there.”  

Court documents stated Johnson also labeled them with the information to a law firm in Colorado.

“That law firm said that they have no clients in Oklahoma, and they have no reason to send a package to Oklahoma. When they first opened that package up that’s when they found methamphetamine, marijuana heroin and tobacco in there,” said Opgrande.

The U.S. postal inspector and the Parker Colorado Police Department also got involved.

Over a year later, the probable cause affidavit revealed Johnson could be charged with four counts of introduction of contraband into a penal institution, three counts of possession of CDS with intent to distribute and one count of conspiracy to commit a felony.

“We have a drug dog that can sniff through mail if it turns out we think there might be something that we need to take a closer look at,” said Opgrande.

The affidavit also revealed during recorded calls Rhodes would ask if she mailed the packages and ask for tracking updates. Rhodes could face one count of conspiracy to commit a felony.