Authorities said Sunday a Georgia woman is on the run after attempting to smuggle narcotics and other contraband into the county jail where she works. TreQuera Lashell Ford, a 24-year-old contract doctor with the Fulton County Jail, smelled like marijuana when she arrived for her shift on Saturday, according to Fulton County Sheriff Patrick Labat.
When a security guard asked Ford about the peculiar stench, the 24-year-old said she forgot something in her car and rushed out of the facility, leaving her personal belongings behind, according to the sheriff’s office. Deputies discovered 192.8 grams of suspected marijuana, 20 grams of suspected crack cocaine, two packs of chewing tobacco, 200 Newport cigarettes and personal medical information in Ford’s luggage. Cigarettes are illegal in prison, which is a tobacco-free zone.
Ford is wanted for violating a prison guard line, possessing cocaine and marijuana with intent to distribute it, obstructing a law enforcement officer, and fleeing a police officer.
Labat told the station that officers have “zero tolerance” for people trying to smuggle contraband into the jail and commended the MP for her “excellent instincts” in arresting Ford.
“There is an expectation and legal requirement that those providing prison services respect the law and work to keep the facility safe and not endanger others,” Labat said. “We are compelled to file criminal charges if anyone breaks that trust and the law.”
Ford is said to be driving a black Nissan Altima. Authorities advised the public not to contact the fugitive and instead to call 911 immediately.
