Cook County correctional officer charged with smuggling after police found 'drug-soaked paper' in their home

A Cook County Correctional Officer has been charged with allegedly attempting to smuggle drug-laced paper into the Cook County Jail, the Cook County Sheriff's Office said.

Shadonna Jones, a 54-year-old Lynwood resident who was hired as a deputy in 2019, is charged with possession of a controlled substance with intent to resell, according to the sheriff's office.

Police searched her home on July 25 and found an envelope containing 48 sheets of paper that “appeared stained” and had a “grainy texture.” They also found a letter addressed to Jones that “appeared to be written by an incarcerated person.” It said he was selling “paper” for $10,000 per page and that Jones would receive $2,500 for each package of paper she could smuggle in.

Forensic tests conducted on the paper by the Illinois State Police found that it contained MDMB-BUTINACA, a synthetic cannabinoid, the sheriff's office said.

After her arrest, Jones told investigators she had received the paper from the family of an incarcerated person and was paid $1,000 to accept and deliver the paper. However, according to the sheriff's office, she said she had no intention of delivering it. After speaking with investigators, she was relieved of her duties by her deputy.

An internal investigation was also underway, the sheriff's office said. At the time, she was injured after being injured in a fight at the jail.

Jones was released ahead of her trial on Thursday and will appear in court again at the Markham Courthouse on September 19 at 9:30 a.m.