Mid-State Inmate Found with Large Amount of Synthetic Marijuana

Corrections Officers at Mid-State Correctional Facility in Marcy uncovered a large amount of synthetic drugs inside a cell under the bed of an inmate earlier this year, according to NYSCOPBA representatives.

According to Central Region Vice President Brian Hluska, Officers conducting an investigation of an inmate discovered 176 sheets of paper that were soaked with liquid synthetic marijuana. The papers were inside a sock and hidden underneath the inmate's bed in his dorm cube at the medium security correctional facility, according to Hluska.

The discovery came on June 11, during an on-going investigation of the inmate. He was placed in a Special Housing Unit while staff conducted a search of his cube in one of the dorms at the facility.  During the search, they discovered the liquid-stained sheets in six bundles wrapped in cellophane inside a black sock that was hidden in storage bag underneath his bed.

Hluska says, the sheets of paper were sent to an outside lab for testing and came back positive for synthetic marijuana, commonly known as K2, on October 1.

“With the number of inmate overdoses that are occurring in prisons and the staff exposures to unknown substances, dangerous drugs getting into the hands of inmates continue to be a significant problem for officers," said Hluska. "Even more troubling is the State contracts with an outside lab that is in Pennsylvania that took four months to receive the drug test results while the inmate remained in general population without any discipline charges. With the test results back now even then the punishment is like a slap on the wrist."

According to Hluska, as punishment the inmate loses recreation, tablet, phone, and commissary privileges for 90 days.

"With the HALT Act legislation stripping away any real discipline that will deter inmates from possessing drugs, this will continue to be a problem for staff who are already being pushed to the brink with continued staffing shortages. K2 is an extremely dangerous drug that we have seen on numerous occasions inmates become extremely violent and assaultive while high on the drugs." Hluska says In this instance, unless the Oneida County District Attorney decides to prosecute the inmate who is scheduled to come up for parole next year, "there is little to no deterrent for him to do this again.” he added.

The 34-year-old inmate is serving a four-year sentence after being convicted for Attempted Criminal Possession of a Weapon 2nd in Schenectady County in 2024.  He was transferred to Wyoming Correctional Facility after the incident.

[AUTHOR'S NOTE:   This post is for informational purposes and is based largely on information received from NYSCOPBA. Regardless of any statements or photographs regarding potential evidence presented or accusations alleged, the reader is reminded that all suspects and/or arrested persons are innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law. At the time of this posting no additional information is available.]