JURY OUT FOR GUARD ACCUSED OF SMUGGLING

A Placer County Superior Court jury began deliberations Tuesday in the trial
of an Auburn man accused of smuggling drugs into state prison while serving
as a correctional officer.

The jury spent part of the morning and all afternoon deliberating on charges
against 55-year-old Michael Octave Laurin. The retired correctional officer
is accused of smuggling marijuana into Folsom's Sacramento County State Prison.

During the trial, long-time state prison inmate Ron Sandwell testified about
what he said his role was in bringing pounds of marijuana into the facility.
Sandwell told court a guard referred to as "Mo" by another inmate who served
as his middleman — was Laurin.

Laurin, a 17-year correctional officer, was arrested in the parking lot of a
Roseville home improvement store in May 1998 with marijuana the prosecution
contended was dropped off by Sandwell's source on the outside and destined
for the prison.

Michael Bowman, Laurin's attorney, presented a defense that attacked the
veracity of Sandwell's testimony and questioned whether the marijuana found
in Laurin's truck had been planted by investigators.

Sandwell is serving a 32-year sentence for rape and robbery. He was facing a
life sentence on a third strike count for his role in the marijuana
smuggling operation. He told court his testimony had gained him immunity
from prosecution.