Inmate in Lewis County Jail allegedly hid meth in his sock

By Emily Fitzgerald/[email protected]

A Lewis County Jail inmate who allegedly hid meth in his sock during a random search Tuesday has been charged with possession of a controlled substance while in custody of a county or local correctional facility.
The charge is a Class C felony punishable by up to five years in prison.

The meth was reportedly wrapped in a paper towel that correctional staff found on August 20 in a sock worn by the inmate, 69-year-old Dennis Fred Thompson.

Thompson was booked into the Lewis County Jail on Aug. 9 for failure to register as a sex offender, jail records show. His bail for that case was set at $100,000.

Judge Joely Yeager on Wednesday granted the prosecution's request and set Thompson's bail for the new charge at $20,000. This means Thompson must raise a total of $120,000 to be released from custody.

“Under the circumstances, $20,000 is appropriate,” Yeager said during Thompson's preliminary hearing Wednesday in Lewis County Superior Court.
The arraignment is scheduled for Thursday, August 29.