By Bonnie Culverhouse
A corrections officer at Bayou Dorcheat Correctional Center is looking at the world from the other side of the bars after Webster Parish Sheriff’s investigators arrested him Sunday evening.
Corrections deputy Eric W. Robinson, 56, of the 700 block of Shreveport Rd., Minden, was arrested on 1 count of introducing contraband into a correctional facility (R.S. 14:402) and malfeasance in office (14:134), possession of cocaine, drug paraphernalia, Tramadol and Hydrocodone.
Webster Parish Sheriff Jason Parker said Robinson was arrested as he attempted to enter the facility with 5 bags of synthetic marijuana, also known as ‘mojo’ in his possession.
“As Lt. John Lewis was walking Robinson to the break room, he admitted to Chief Hank Haynes that we caught him and then offered synthetic marijuana to the deputies,” Parker said. “He told them the marijuana was in his back right pocket.”
Deputies asked Robinson for consent to search his vehicle, which was located in the BDCC parking lot.
“The deputies discovered a partially smoked marijuana cigar in the glove box, and inside the ashtray, they located a small piece of a suspected crack rock,” the sheriff said. “Inside of the visor, a vial of suspected cocaine was located, and inside of the console, 5 suspected Tramadol pills and 1 suspected Hydrocodone pill.”
Reportedly, inside the driver’s side door were a total of 4 suspected glass crack pipes hidden in an old cigarette box.
Robinson reportedly admitted to violating the stated charges and to 2 prior transactions, one included bringing 11 grams of suspected methamphetamine and a second time when he brought 28 grams of suspected synthetic marijuana to inmates at BDCC.
“He also admitted receiving $250 through CashApp for each transaction,” said the sheriff. “He was immediately terminated upon his arrest.”
The arrest was the result of an ongoing investigation by the Webster Parish Sheriff Office Narcotics and Investigation Divisions.
“Our investigators worked diligently and thoroughly to gather the facts and evidence to make an arrest and to stop these drugs from entering our facility,” the sheriff continued. “No one is above the law, and we certainly will enforce the law equally to all, including our own employees.”
Parker described it as a disappointment to arrest one of their own, “because we hold ourselves to the highest standards of integrity and character. As sheriff, I will continue to uphold these standards and be accountable to the citizens of Webster Parish.”
This information has been provided by a law enforcement agency as public information. Persons named as suspects in a criminal investigation, or arrested and charged with a crime, have not been convicted of any criminal offense and are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.