Investigators with the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office have charged three individuals in connection with bringing contraband into a penal institution.
The Sheriff’s Office received an anonymous tip that a kitchen employee with Trinity Service Group, who provides food services to inmates, was bringing in prescription narcotics to an inmate.
Sean Richard Dale Gartside, 28, was charged with contraband in a penal institution. The investigation revealed that Gartside was transporting prescription narcotics in his shoe and delivering them to an inmate who is part of an inmate work detail in the kitchen.
Gartside was also charged with simple possession and unlawful carrying of a deadly weapon. Those two charges were related to Investigators finding a THC vape pen and a loaded handgun during a search of his vehicle. His bond is $12,000.
Martha Lynn Sherrod, 48, was also charged with contraband in a penal institution for providing the prescription narcotics to Gartside to deliver to the inmate. Her bond is $10,000.
The inmate that the prescription narcotics were delivered to was also charged. Edward Benjamin Bertram, 37, was charged with contraband in a penal institution. His bond is $10,000.
“Once our Investigators validated the tip, the Trinity employee was interviewed and his security clearance revoked,” Sheriff Fuson said. “Inmates who work in the kitchen are housed at the Workhouse, which is separate from our jail population. A subsequent search of the entire Workhouse and all of the inmates housed there revealed nothing related to this investigation.”
Trinity Service Group also terminated Gartside’s employment.
