Suspect accused of having 'weed' at jail
A federal drug suspect being processed into the Butler County Prison was found with suspected marijuana hidden on him, authorities said.
Butler County detectives on Monday charged Rahde D. “Raw” Williamson, 25, of McKeesport, Allegheny County, with felony counts of bringing a controlled substance into the prison and possession of a controlled substance by an inmate.
Williamson was booked into the county prison around 4:10 p.m. Aug. 6 as a courtesy hold for the U.S. Marshals, stemming from two separate but related indictments last week by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh for violating federal narcotics and firearms laws.
A correctional officer conducted a body search, detectives said, and turned up an unknown blue object hidden on the defendant.
The object was determined to be the tip of a glove, which contained something. Williamson allegedly told the officer it was “just a little weed,” according to charging documents.
The evidence eventually was turned over to county detectives, who allegedly identified the suspected contraband as marijuana.
District Judge William Fullerton was to arraign Williamson on his state charges Wednesday.
According to the first federal indictment, the defendant conspired to possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl from November 2018 through August 2019.
The indictment also alleges that in June 2019 Williamson distributed fentanyl that caused an overdose death.
The second indictment alleges that on July 15, the defendant, a felon, possessed ammunition after having been convicted of multiple drug crimes punishable by more than one year in prison.
Federal law prohibits anyone who has been convicted of a crime punishable by a term of imprisonment exceeding one year from possessing a firearm or ammunition.
Williamson remains in the county prison without bail as his case moves forward in federal court.
