Massachusetts correction officers bust woman for allegedly tossing drugs over jail's wall to boyfriend

Rick Sobey, Boston Herald on Mar 19, 2025

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BOSTON — Some local correction officers are credited with stopping drugs from getting into inmates’ hands.

The Ash Street Jail employees in Bristol County recently busted a woman who allegedly tossed drugs over the New Bedford jail’s perimeter wall, as she tried to get the contraband to her inmate boyfriend.

The inmate’s girlfriend, Brittany Hanley, has been charged with several criminal offenses after she was stopped outside the jail on Tuesday — and allegedly admitted to planning to throw more drugs over the wall. That included suspected fentanyl and Suboxone strips.

“Drugs entering correctional facilities is a problem everywhere,” the Bristol County Sheriff’s Office said in a statement. “The Bristol County Sheriff’s Office jail is no different and we are actively working to reduce and hopefully stop the flow of illicit drugs coming into the jail.”

Correction officers twice in the past week found drugs at the jail after they had been thrown over the outer perimeter wall.

In one instance, security staff found a package with 15 Suboxone strips in the courtyard after it had just been thrown over the wall.

The next day, the major assigned to the jail had the maintenance department search the roof for any other contraband. They found another package containing 69 Suboxone strips, and 15 grams of crack cocaine.

Based on this information, Sgt. Christopher Vaz began an investigation.

Vaz determined which inmate was involved in the alleged drug tossing, and the sergeant found out that the inmate’s girlfriend was involved in the previous attempt. Vaz also learned that she was planning to throw more drugs over the wall on Tuesday.

Investigators then saw Hanley circling the jail in a rented motor vehicle Tuesday evening, as she was on a live recorded phone call with her boyfriend.

After seeing her drive the wrong way down a one-way street and circle the block, investigators conducted a traffic stop.

“Upon speaking with her and reading her rights per Miranda, Ms. Hanley willingly told us that she purchased 40 Suboxone strips and was intending on throwing them over the wall,” the sheriff’s office said. “A search of her person found the 40 aforementioned suboxone strips along with an additional 8 1/2 grams of suspected fentanyl that she disclosed that she didn’t tell us about because she was nervous, but also intended to throw over the wall.

“At this point we contacted K-9 Officer Michael Kochanek who conducted a further search of the vehicle with his K-9, which led to the discovery of an additional half gram of fentanyl near the passenger seat,” the office added.

She was placed into custody and charged with: possession with intent to distribute a Class B substance (40 suspected Suboxone strips); possession with intent to distribute a Class B substance (9 grams of suspected fentanyl); attempt to commit a crime (delivering drugs or articles to prisoners in correctional institutions or jails); and conspiracy (attempt to commit a crime with an inmate).

The inmates involved at the Ash Street Jail will be placed on “administrative separation order,” pending an investigation and returned to the Bristol County Jail and House of Correction.

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