BY ROGER SMITH
MOUNTAIN CITIZEN

DEBORD — Authorities arrested a Baltimore woman after she allegedly attempted to smuggle balloons filled with “wax weed” to an inmate at the United States Penitentiary (USP) Big Sandy in Martin County.

On May 4, Kentucky State Police responded to a complaint from USP Big Sandy staff, who had detained Kandy Leigh Wagner, 41, on suspicion of passing contraband during a visitation.

Surveillance footage showed Wagner retrieving two handfuls of balloons from her pocket and handing them to inmate Dell Dingle during the visit, according to prison officials.

Michael Barker, a special investigative services technician at the prison, advised Wagner of her Miranda rights and searched her vehicle but found no additional contraband.

Dingle admitted to ingesting four of the balloons, which he said contained “wax weed,” a concentrated form of marijuana, the police report states.

Dingle went to a hospital emergency room for medical intervention. If doctors could not retrieve the balloons, officials would place Dingle in a dry cell until the items passed, the report says.

Wagner faces one felony count of first-degree promoting contraband.

Trooper T. Salyer of KSP Post 9 is leading the investigation.