Louisiana Department of Corrections (DOC) investigators at Louisiana State Penitentiary at Angola arrested a visitor in a shakedown late Saturday afternoon, and thwarted her attempt to smuggle drugs into the prison.
West Feliciana Parish Sheriff's Deputies booked 43-year-old Melanie Cooper of 1506 Oriole Street, Bossier City, Louisiana with one count of Introduction of Contraband into a Penal Institution, and three counts of Possession of Schedule 1 Narcotics with Intent to Distribute.
Following Cooper's visit with a Louisiana State Penitentiary inmate, correctional officers immediately did a shakedown of that inmate and discovered 21.1 grams of marijuana, and prevented the drugs from getting past the visitation area and into the prison. Prison investigators detained and questioned Cooper, at which time she admitted to smuggling the marijuana to the inmate. Upon searching Cooper's vehicle, prison investigators found 102 ecstasy pills, 5.4 grams of marijuana, and 5 grams of heroin.
The investigation is still ongoing. DOC Disciplinary action against the inmate is pending.