JAIL CHIEF CHARGED WITH TAKING COCAINE DELIVERY

The Crittenden County jail administrator was arrested Monday after
accepting 61.5 grams of cocaine for delivery to an inmate, West
Memphis police officials said.

Reginald Abram, 29, jail administrator for about 21/2 months, was
arrested and charged with possession of a controlled substance and
public service bribery, said West Memphis Asst. Police Chief Mike Allen.

"We received information that Reginald Abram was using his official
capacity as chief administrator of Crittenden County Detention Center
in an illegal capacity," Allen said.

Abram was arrested just after leaving the location with the money and
the cocaine, which has an estimated street value of $5,000 to $6,000,
Allen said.

Crittenden County Sheriff Dick Busby arranged to have Abram held in
the St. Francis County Jail until his arraignment Wednesday.

Allen said the investigation is ongoing, but he does not anticipate
more arrests.

Abram has been with the Crittenden County Sheriff's Department since
1999. He became jail administrator June 5.

He replaced former jail administrator Robert Bretherick, who pleaded
not guilty on July 22 to charges of witness tampering and deprivation
of rights.