Visitation Suspended at Cascade County Jail Due to Drug Smuggling

Over the weekend, an incident transpired at the Cascade County Detention Center, resulting in the suspension of all personal visitations until further notice. The situation involved the smuggling of controlled substances into the facility and caused considerable damage to the visitation areas. “This is a multi-person group, looking to smuggle drugs in our facility and were successful,” explained Sheriff Jesse Slaughter. “They were able to smuggle Methamphetamine, Fentanyl, and Suboxone into the Cascade County jail.” Since January 2024, there have been a total of 19 reported smuggling operations. Sheriff Slaughter articulated that this issue is further complicated by the need for support from the judiciary and the Legislature moving forward. He referenced a ruling by the Montana Supreme Court, 46-5-105, which prohibits strip searches for misdemeanor offenders. “The most common way they do it is they bail out an individual on a misdemeanor,” Explained Sheriff Slaughter. “That person is then instructed to go out of the community and to put drugs inside whatever body or orifice they want and bring them back inside the facility because we're not allowed to strip search said people.” Sheriff Slaughter noted that the department has undertaken significant measures, investing hundreds of thousands of dollars in body scanners, while also facing restrictions on the intensity of the x-ray equipment utilized. “I feel if you are going to have law and order in your community, these people have to be arrested and have to be put in an appropriate place to keep the community safe,” explained Sheriff Slaughter. “I understand their intent that the crime isn’t as significant so the searches shouldn’t be invasive. The reality of it is the criminals inside our facility have outsmarted the whole system and this is how they run their operations.” This situation has prompted Sheriff Slaughter to issue a call to action, encouraging community members to remain informed and vigilant regarding ongoing issues. The detectives within the sheriff’s office are conducting an in-depth criminal investigation into this incident. In closing, Sheriff Slaughter explained “I have extreme empathy for the families who have loved ones inside the facility. It’s not your fault that the people you care about are here. You don’t deserve this. You can thank your local drug dealer for closing down the ability for you to visit your loved ones on the weekends until we solve this problem.”