Drug Task Force Agents Interrupt Conspiracy To Introduce Contraband Into Bradley County Jail

On Monday, a confidential source notified agents of the Tenth Judicial Drug and Violent Crime Task Force that illegal contraband was being introduced into the Bradley County Jail. Immediately, agents began investigating the information in attempts to verify the conspiracy and discover the source of the narcotics.

On Tuesday, agents met with jail staff to review recent phone call recordings and video footage of inside and outside activity. Upon investigation, agents were able to confirm the identity of two co-conspirators, who participated in two separate narcotics exchanges on March 10 and March 13. These individuals were identified Jason Shields and Emanuel Adames.

They also were able to confirm the participation of three incarcerated co-conspirators, who were identified as John Shields, David Taylor, and Anthony Earwood.

Upon further investigation, agents received a tip that a third exchange would take place on Tuesday. Due to the overwhelming evidence that had been discovered, they quickly began preparing to intervene in attempts to prevent the planned narcotics exchange.

Around 5 p.m. on Tuesday, the suspects arrived to the Bradley County Jail. Agents conducted a traffic stop the parking lot and identified Jason Shields as the vehicle driver, Emanuel Adames as a passenger, and a third-party female juvenile riding with them. They also located a paper envelope of two foil bundles that were to be dropped off that day, believed to be fentanyl and methamphetamine. Both men were taken into custody and the juvenile female was released to her guardian.

As the investigation continued, Sami Finley was identified as an additional co-conspirator and supplier of the narcotics. On Wednesday, agents served a search warrant on Finley’s residence which revealed further narcotic evidence. She was taken into custody and transported to the Bradley County Jail.

Jason Shields was charged with conspiracy introduction into a penal institution, introduction of contraband into a penal institution x2, attempted introduction of contraband into a penal institution, Possession of Schedule II Fentanyl for resale, and Possession of Schedule II Methamphetamine for resale. Emanuel Adames, John Shields, David Taylor, and Anthony Earwood were charged with conspiracy introduction into a penal institution. Shields, Taylor, and Earwood will also be facing in-house disciplinary penalties. Sami Finley was arrested on outstanding warrants, charged with conspiracy introduction into a penal institution, and has several pending indictments for the narcotics found in her residence.

The Bradley County Sheriff’s Office highly commends the Tenth Judicial Drug and Violent Crime Task Force agents for busting this complex conspiracy which consisted of a total of six co-conspirators, resulted in their arrest, and the saving of many Bradley County inmates’ lives.
 
BCSO will continue its proactive efforts and collaboration with the Tenth Judicial Drug and Violent Crime Task Force, with intentions of making our community safer by seeking out those individuals who manufacture, sale, and use drugs and bring them to justice.

Sheriff Steve Lawson said, “We will continue to utilize every resource we have to prevent narcotics from entering the Bradley County Jail. If you attempt to participate in such events, I ensure you will be caught and held accountable for your actions. We do not tolerate this activity and aim to keep the number of overdoses down by preventing any future introduction of contraband into our facility”.