Jail kitchen manager accused of smuggling contraband

Kitchen manager Duan Blackston may have been able to whip up a mean spaghetti dinner at a regional jail in New Kent County, but he's now accused of trying to smuggle contraband behind bars.

A contract worker for a canteen service, Blackston is facing a hearing next week in Henrico County on charges of attempting to smuggle cigarettes and drugs into the jail, Henrico Regional Jail East. Jail space is shared by New Kent, Henrico and Goochland.

"He came under suspicion and we got some assistance from one of the inmates," said Henrico Sheriff Mike Wade, who helped engineer a sting that led to charges against Blackston, a 32-year-old Richmond resident who had worked at the jail in New Kent for about a year.

Sheriff's investigators last month used the name of a girlfriend of a cooperative inmate and sent text messages to Blackston to arrange the pick-up of contraband destined for the inmate.

A female officer posing as the girlfriend met Blackston in a parking lot off Laburnum Avenue and handed over a bag containing $300 in cash, cigarettes and a small amount of marijuana, Wade said.

Blackston is facing a felony charge of trying to supply an inmate with marijuana and a misdemeanor charge of trying to smuggle cigarettes.

"The money wasn't to pay for the contraband, it was Blackston's fee for delivering it," Wade said. Blackston worked for a private contractor; background checks turned up no prior felony arrests.

-- Bill McKelway