August 02, 2016
An inmate at the Chester County Prison faces multiple felony charges after he was caught last month smuggling heroin inside his rectum, the District Attorney's office announced on Tuesday.
Jarrett Mason, 27, of Philadelphia, was initially arrested in Phoenixville on July 15 and jailed on narcotics charges. Video recordings of his arrest revealed that he was able to successfully hide heroin in his hair before he was transported to the Chester County Prison.
Several days later, on July 19, another inmate at the prison reported that Mason was distributing heroin. Prison officials initiated an internal investigation and later confronted Mason about the allegation. When Mason was instructed to squat and cough, "this action caused the baggie to be discharged from the rectum," states the criminal complaint.
A field test of the substance in the baggie revealed that Mason was in possession of brown heroin with a street value of $300-$400. Officials said it would be worth more than double that amount in prison.
Mason admitted to smuggling the heroin and claimed that he found the substance on a window well in his cell.
"Desperate people do dangerous and dumb things," said Chester County District Attorney Tom Hogan. "The scourge of heroin hits everywhere, from streets to homes to prisons. This defendant just made a bad situation for himself much, much worse."
Mason is charged with furnishing contraband and drug dealing in a prison -- a felony.
