Augusta attorney gives inmate contraband, arrested deputies say

AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) - An Augusta attorney with the Public Defender’s Office has been arrested after giving his client, an inmate contraband, according to authorities.

On Wednesday, Rodrequez Burnett, 30, was meeting his client and inmate, Darnell Evans, at the Charles B. Webster Detention Center around noon, authorities say.

Authorities say during the meeting, Burnett entered a closet inside a multipurpose room and removed a roll of toilet paper which he then handed to the inmate. The inmate then removed the outer wrapper, a plastic wax paper, from the toilet paper and concealed the wrapper in his clothing.

Burnett returned the roll of toilet paper to the closet, then the inmate left the room and distributed the wrapper to other inmates. The plastic wax wrapper is considered contraband as it is commonly used to roll tobacco or other substances for smoking, according to officials.

On Thursday, Burnett was arrested and charged with introducing prohibited items to an inmate, a felony and booked, according to authorities.

The incident will follow the same course as any other criminal investigation, according to officials.

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