An inmate who began serving a one-year sentence in March for a felony drug charge is facing new charges after allegedly trying to smuggle contraband into the Isanti County Jail.
Kyle Wayne Peterson, 27, of Cambridge, was charged May 19 before Judge John McBride in Isanti County District Court in Cambridge with felony fifth-degree drug possession, subsequent conviction, and a gross misdemeanor of introducing contraband into jail. Bail was set at $20,000 without conditions or $10,000 with conditions, and his next court appearance was set for June 16.
At the time of the new charges, Peterson was in custody at the Isanti County Jail after being sentenced on March 16 to 365 days in the Isanti County Jail for felony third-degree sale of narcotics. He was allowed to utilize work release or sentence to serve options if eligible while serving his sentence.
According to the criminal complaint, on May 17, Isanti County Jail staff conducted a search of Peterson’s property based on concerns over possible smuggling contraband into the jail. Inside Peterson’s personal property bin was a small velvet black drawstring bag. Inside this bag was a small glass pipe that field-tested positive for methamphetamine. Peterson denied ownership of the pipe, but confirmed all of the other items inside the bin were his.
“It was because of the quick action of the correctional officers overhearing information about the defendant trying to bring contraband into the jail that this was caught,” said Isanti County Sheriff Chris Caulk. “Our correctional officers do take it upon themselves to make sure our facility is clean, and because of the good investigative work on their part, these illegal drugs are not in our jail.”