Executive Summary
- Austin Thomas Cole, a 27-year-old former corrections officer, faces multiple federal felony charges for alleged drug smuggling.
- The alleged incident occurred at the Karnes County Detention Facility, a privately-run federal center near San Antonio, Texas.
- Charges include conspiracy to distribute heroin and cocaine, and providing contraband in prison.
- The investigation was a joint effort by the U.S. Marshals, FBI, and DEA, prompted by an initial tip.
A former corrections officer at the Karnes County Detention Facility has been arrested and faces multiple federal felony charges for allegedly attempting to smuggle illegal drugs to an inmate. Austin Thomas Cole, 27, was taken into custody following an investigation into contraband smuggling at the privately-operated federal facility located approximately 55 miles southeast of San Antonio.
According to federal court records, Cole is charged with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute a controlled substance, possession with intent to distribute heroin, possession with intent to distribute cocaine, and providing contraband in prison. The U.S. Marshals Service stated in a news release that the investigation began after receiving a tip that Cole was allegedly smuggling contraband in exchange for payments from inmates.
The case was a multi-agency effort involving the U.S. Marshals Service, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). “Correctional officers hold positions of great responsibility and trust,” U.S. Marshal for the Western District of Texas, Susan Pamerleau, said in a statement. “When that trust is violated, it threatens the safety of our institutions and the welfare of those in our custody.”
This incident marks the second arrest of an officer from the Karnes County facility on similar charges in recent months. In June, another officer was arrested on bribery charges for allegedly accepting money to smuggle contraband, including narcotics-laced paper, into the detention center. It is important to note that all individuals are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.