Woman Sends Weed Through Mail to Inmates

An Augusta woman has joined her friends in jail after trying to send them marijuana in a letter, according to a sheriff's report.

Natasha Watkins, 27, of Augusta, is accused of taping loose marijuana to the inside of three letters and sending them to the Richmond County Detention Center earlier this month. She allegedly sent 0.3 grams each in two letters and 0.1 gram in a letter addressed to a different man.

When confronted about the marijuana, Ms. Watkins "admitted to sending the letters containing the marijuana," the report states.

Ms. Watkins was charged this week with three counts of possession of marijuana and three counts of felony possession of marijuana with intent to distribute. Her bond was set at $13,400.

Jail officials say they commonly find marijuana hidden in letters addressed to inmates. Sometimes, they find it hidden behind the postage stamp, taped to letters or behind address labels.

"It's something that happens a lot in the jail," Sgt. Lisa Rohrbaugh told The Jail Report. "They do something with their batteries and their Walkmans to make the heat to burn the paper."

Sgt. Rohrbaugh also said they find obscene pictures and tobacco hidden in letters. They have three people who sort through the mail before it's delivered to inmates. If they are suspicious of a package, they investigate the contents.