TYLER, Texas — A Tyler man was sentenced to seven years in prison after pleading guilty to helping the wife of an inmate smuggle illegal narcotics like marijuana and tobacco into Smith County Jail facilities last fall.
On Monday, Kristofer Rouse, 41, entered a guilty plea to engaging in organized crime in the 475th District Court. He was then sentenced to seven years in prison.
The Smith County Sheriff's Office said Rouse and Lindsay Nichole Davis (the wife of inmate Micah Davis) would drop off items like tobacco, marijuana and pills near the dumpster of jail facilities for Micah Davis and other inmates bring into the jail.
The sheriff's office said that investigators first heard of the alleged smuggling into the jail on Sept. 8 and learned Micah Davis was receiving contraband.
Following an investigation, deputies learned that Micah Davis told Lindsay Davis to drop off contraband at the downtown jail facility near the dumpster on the night of Sept. 8 around 9 p.m., the sheriff's office said.
Using surveillance video, investigators saw a black VW Jetta, driving north on Fannin Ave. on the east side of the jail. The vehicle then stopped on the east side of Fannin Ave. and a man, who was identified as Rouse, exited the driver’s seat of the Jetta, ran across Fannin Ave. and tossed a brown paper sack under the fence toward the dumpster.
According to the video, Rouse quickly ran toward the Jetta, jumped into the car and left north toward Erwin Street. Inside the brown “McDonald’s” paper sack bag, the investigator found marijuana, tobacco, assorted pills, rolling papers and a butane lighter.
Tyler police found the vehicle and identified both Rouse as the driver and the passenger as Lindsay Davis.
Although they were both arrested on engaging in organized crime, neither of the Davises have been formally charged in connection with smuggling.