GUARD CHARGED IN JAIL DRUG RING

A corrections officer at the Edmonton Remand Centre is accused of
conspiracy after he allegedly worked with five other men to smuggle
drugs into the jail.

Edmonton police were notified by Remand Centre staff in November 2010
that drugs were being smuggled into the institution. That kicked off a
nearly four-month investigation by the EPS Drug and Gang Enforcement
Unit.

As a result of the police investigation, James Brian Johnstone, a
21-year-old Remand Centre guard, is charged with conspiracy to commit
an indictable offence and three other drug-trafficking related
offences. Five other men, including two Remand Centre inmates, are
also facing conspiracy charges.

"We're alleging there was one particular guard that was involved with
bringing the drugs into the institution and from there giving them to
inmates who would then further disseminate the drugs within the
institution," said Insp. Greg Preston, with the EPS Organized Crime
Unit.

Johnstone was arrested and charged on Thursday, after police executed
a search warrant on his vehicle and seized marijuana and cocaine,
Preston said. No drugs were seized at the jail itself.

Two other men, who police allege were helping Johnstone obtain drugs,
were also arrested, he added. Selling drugs inside a jail or prison
can be extremely lucrative, Preston said, because the low supply and
high demand pushes the street value up significantly.

"You're talking about a fair bit of money here," Preston
said.

Despite the latest charges, Preston said police remain concerned about
drugs getting into the Remand Centre.

"Most often, it's through the inmates themselves," he said. "They find
ways to bring them in."

He said he couldn't recall a similar situation of a guard involved in
smuggling drugs into the jail.

"This is definitely unusual. And it's unfortunate and troubling that
it was through a correctional officer," he said.

The five other men charged in connection with the conspiracy are
[name1 redacted], 31, [name2 redacted], 24, [name3 redacted], 37,
[name4 redacted], 31, and [name5 redacted], 23.