An Alto woman being held at the Habersham County Detention Center has been accused of making 10 fellow inmates sick after she gave them drug-laced letters that had been sent to her.
Habersham County Sheriff's Office Lt. Matt Wurtz said in a press statement authorities at the jail became aware of the issue Monday night when several female inmates at the detention center began showing signs of "lethargy and extreme illness."
Initially, six women were transported to the Habersham Medical Center for treatment, but later Monday night, four more inmates displayed similar symptoms and also were transported to the hospital.
Wurtz said investigators with the Appalachian Regional Drug Enforcement Office (ARDEO) and Habersham County Sheriff's Office criminal investigators were able to determine that Stacy Collins, 43, conspired with others outside of the jail to have mail laced with a synthetic narcotic sent to her at the jail.
"Upon receipt of the laced items, Collins distributed the items to the other inmates in the cellblock," Wurtz said in the prepared statement. "The other inmates consumed the items and, as a result, became violently ill."
Collins initially was charged with nine counts of reckless conduct. An additional warrant for distribution of a Schedule 1 controlled substance was issued Wednesday morning.
The 10 inmates who were taken to the hospital have been returned to the jail.
