A Gamerco man, who worked as a corrections officer at the McKinley County Adult Detention Center, was jailed and later bonded out Sept. 28 after his arrest for bringing contraband into the MCAD, officials said.

Esidro Olguin, 22, was initially jailed on a $5,000 surety bond, according to jail records. Olguin’s charges are two counts of bringing contraband into a place of imprisonment and two counts of trafficking a controlled substance.

Lt. Pat Salazar of the McKinley County Sheriff’s Office said Olguin’s arrest came after the sheriff’s office received a tip, followed by three months of investigation.

“This is a result of some old-fashioned police and investigative work,” Salazar said. “This kind of activity won’t be tolerated.”

Salazar said Olguin was involved in the distribution of hydrocodone pills. He said six such pills were found on Olguin. They were split in half to apparently double the dosage, Salazar said. Suboxone, a drug used to treat drug addiction, was also found on Olguin.

Pills were also found in a vehicle that belonged to Olguin, Salazar said. Members of the Gallup Police Department and the MCSO were waiting for the suspect as he arrived at work at about 8 pm, Salazar said.

He was dismissed from the corrections officer job, jail officials said.

Olguin is not the only corrections officer to have been charged with such a crime recently. Terrance Hooper, 23, of Gallup was taken into custody several months ago on similar contraband smuggling charges. Hooper was one of three inmates involved in the scheme at the time, according to jail information.

McKinley County Jail Warden Steve Silversmith said bringing drugs — or anything else illegal — into the McKinley County Adult Detention Center will not be tolerated.

By Bernie Dotson

Sun Correspondent