David Arnold

A man was caught with a narcotic pill inside his prosthetic leg while being booked into the Butler County Prison, authorities said.

Days later, correctional officers allegedly found Suboxone strips hidden in the same inmate's prison-issued wheelchair.

David K. Arnold, 40, of Butler is to be arraigned Friday on felony charges of smuggling drugs into the prison and possession of a controlled substance by an inmate. County detectives charged him Tuesday.

County probation officers took him to the prison Jan. 22 for a probation violation, authorities said. While being processed, a correctional officer turned up a small folded piece of paper hidden in Arnold's prosthetic leg.

Inside the paper was a small pill. Detective John Johnson was notified and began an investigation. The pill was later allegedly found to be buprenorphine hydrochloride, a narcotic drug often prescribed to help treat opiate dependence.

Before charges were filed, Johnson said, a search of Arnold's cell in the prison's restricted housing unit uncovered a hole in the seat of his wheelchair.

A closer look revealed three pieces of wax-type paper believed to be Suboxone, a narcotic medication approved for the treatment of opiate dependence.

Also discovered in the hole was a “fingertip portion of a rubber glove tied into a balloon shaped object,” Johnson said in his affidavit. That object allegedly contained additional pieces of Suboxone strips.

In all, authorities believed the pieces amounted to three complete strips.