FORT SMITH -- Charges are pending against a former Sebastian County sheriff's deputy who was accused of smuggling methamphetamine into the county jail.
A news release dated Friday from the sheriff's office said Darryl Wingate, 29, of Fort Smith was arrested last week on charges of furnishing prohibited articles and of possession of methamphetamine with intent to deliver.
Formal charges had not been filed against Wingate as of Monday.
Wingate was a detention deputy at the jail and had been working for the sheriff's office for about three months. The release said he was fired.
The investigation of Wingate began after detention deputies received information Wednesday that a detention deputy was smuggling contraband into the jail, the release said. A follow-up investigation identified Wingate as the smuggler and he was arrested. He has been released from the jail on bond.
Sheriff Bill Hollenbeck said in the news release that smuggling contraband into the jail would not be tolerated and that deputies acted as soon as they learned about it.
State Desk on 08/15/2017