CLEARFIELD – A Glen Richey woman is facing charges for allegedly smuggling a large amount of Subutex, also known as buprenorphine, into the Clearfield County Jail.
Jennifer L. Cupp, 31, is charged by Lawrence Township police with felony contraband/controlled substance, possession of controlled substance, contraband/inmate and manufacture, delivery or possession with intent to manufacture or deliver and related offenses.
Cupp waived her right to a preliminary hearing Wednesday during centralized court. Bail is currently set at $50,000.
According to the affidavit of probable cause, on Aug. 16, police received a report about contraband – a suspected controlled substance – being found on an inmate, Cupp, at the jail.
Upon arrival, officers spoke with prison officials who said when they learned that Cupp was in possession of Subutex, they conducted a strip search.
The search allegedly turned up a plastic squeaker toy with a large amount of orange powder. It was located in Cupp’s waistband and they suspected she brought it when she self-committed Aug. 10.
Upon investigation, it was learned prison officials had been drug-testing inmates in the H block, where Cupp was previously housed. Two other inmates reportedly tested positive for buprenorphine.
The deputy warden also had Cupp drug tested and she was positive for the drug, as well. Police mirandized and interviewed Cupp, who reportedly admitted to having brought in about a 90-day supply.
She said she smuggled the drug into the jail Aug. 10 by concealing it in her private area. However, she denied having supplied any other inmates and claimed she brought it to avoid “sickness.”
Cupp said she crushed the buprenorphine and placed it in the squeaker toy prior to her self-commitment. Police also spoke with the two inmates who tested positive.
The first inmate said Cupp provided her with some buprenorphine and she’d consumed it recently. The second inmate said she obtained it from another inmate who had gotten it from Cupp.
That inmate, she said, provided it to her and she’d consumed it earlier that day. She said Cupp was distributing the buprenorphine to other inmates to keep them from reporting her.
A third inmate said she learned Cupp was in possession of the drug the day before, and that numerous individuals appeared to be under the influence on the block.
