Inmate, Tulsa man face charges after contraband drop is foiled

TAFT — An inmate and an accomplice outside the prison walls were caught Sunday apparently attempting to smuggle bags of drugs, tobacco and cellphones into the Jess Dunn Correctional Center.

Two correctional officers patrolling the perimeter of the minimum security unit saw inmate Jason Curlee running toward a housing unit about 4 a.m. and detained him, according to the Oklahoma Department of Corrections.

The officers also noticed someone running away from the facility outside the prison walls.

After a short foot chase, Michael Anthony Killingworth, 24, of Tulsa, was taken into custody and booked into the Muskogee County jail.

Killingworth was jailed on a complaint of bringing contraband into a penal institution. He was released Tuesday after posting $10,000 bond.

Curlee, 31, is serving time on assault, firearms possession and burglary charges out of Cleveland and Comanche counties.

Later that morning, officers searched the area where Killingworth was apprehended and discovered two duffel bags and a shrink-wrapped package containing dozens of cellphones and chargers, hundreds of packages of rolling papers, several bags and cans of tobacco, two pounds of marijuana and 100 lighters, said Alex Gerszewski, spokesman for the department.

Gerszewski said it appears the plan was for Killingworth to throw the packages over the security fence for Curlee to take back to his housing unit.

The department’s inspector general’s office will investigate the incident. Curlee is expected to face contraband charges.