Man sentenced to jail time for smuggling Suboxone into prison
MEDIA COURTHOUSE >> A Whitehall man who pleaded guilty in June to possessing contraband by an inmate for attempting to smuggle Suboxone into the county prison in January was sentenced to 11½ to 23 months Monday.
William Ross Miller, 33, will be allowed to serve most of the sentence on furlough for work. His attorney, Kevin Coyne, said Miller has “rounded a corner” and now works three jobs, has an apartment and vehicle, and is staying clean.
“The thing that distinguishes him from a lot of my clients is that the guy has plans,” said Coyne. “He’s thinking about the future, not just next week or tomorrow.”
According to a release from Delaware County District Attorney Katayoun M. Copeland, Miller was caught Jan. 10 after staff at the county prison in Concord received word that he was in possession of contraband.
Miller was ordered to remove his pants during a strip search by Sgt. Darold Williams and Corrections Officer Christopher Clyde. While pulling his leg from his pants, Williams noticed Miller holding something in his right hand and ordered him to turn it over.
“Inmate Miller ignored the commands and then attempted to place the item in his mouth,” the release states. “Officers were able to gain control over inmate Miller, and secure the item, which was identified as 10 orange-colored Suboxone.”
Miller explained he was being transferred from Chester County to New York through Delaware County when the Suboxone was discovered. He said he had previously served three and a half years for possession and theft charges, but his girlfriend and other relatives told Common Pleas Court Judge Margaret J. Amoroso that he is a different person now and has their full support.
Assistant District Attorney Geoff Paine said Miller should make a good faith showing that he has changed by revealing the source of the Suboxone. Miller said it came from another prisoner and that logs would show he never had a single visitor during his incarceration.
The judge gave Miller 60 days of straight incarceration as punishment, as well as credit for time served from Feb. 7 through Feb. 21. After that period, he will be furloughed during the week to work, but must return to the prison on weekends with no drugs or alcohol in his system. He has a report date of Aug. 9.