Polk Sheriff's Detectives Charge 9 For Smuggling K2 Into Jail

POLK COUNTY, FL – Nine people have been charged with smuggling the synthetic cannabinoid known as K2 or spice into the Pasco County South County Jail near Frostproof.

Polk County Sheriff’s detectives began investigating the smuggling operation in May after receiving a tip that inmates housed together in H dorm, along with friends and family outside of the jail, were involved in an active conspiracy to smuggle K2 into the South County Jail.

The investigation uncovered a total of $4,500 in transactions/purchases of K2

that either entered the jail or were attempted to be smuggled into the jail. The method used to smuggle K-2 into the jail was to spray liquid K2/synthetic cannabinoids onto paper, then dry and iron the paper. The paper was then disguised with legal information, personal messages and Bible verses.

The K2-infused papers were mailed to an inmate using fictitious or appropriated law firm stationery. In some cases, the K2-infused papers were brought in during meetings with an attorney at the jail.

Detectives discovered that 29-year-old Holly Boulanger of Lake Alfred was reportedly the outside source for the synthetic cannabis. Boulanger was discovered to be in a relationship with 28-year-old Randall Kirby who, at the time of the investigation, was out of jail on bond for trafficking in K2 /synthetic cannabinoids, stemming from an investigation in January.

Both reportedly worked together to sell the K2-infused papers to friends and family members of inmates in the jail.

In August, detectives arranged an undercover purchase of five sheets of paper sprayed with liquid K2 for $375 from Boulanger. Those sheets of paper tested positive for K2.

In early September, undercover detectives arranged the purchase of another eight sheets from Boulanger for $600.

On Wednesday, Sept. 5, detectives conducted surveillance on Boulanger and saw her leaving her home. Detectives pulled her over and found 78.7 grams of paper laced with K2 in her car.

During an interview, Boulanger admitted to spraying papers with liquid K2.

Detectives then served a search warrant at Boulanger's home on Palm Circle Drive in Lake Alfred and found Kirby inside.

Detectives recovered a prescription pill bottle containing miscellaneous pills, including Clonazepam and Alprazolam pills, for which Kirby told detectives he did not have a prescription.

Detectives also recovered 52.2 grams of paper sprayed with K2 and two plastic containers with a brown-colored liquid in them. One contained 165.4 grams and the other 612.6 grams of what is believed to be liquid K2.

A 2-year-old boy living in the home where the chemicals were found was turned over to case workers with the Florida Department of Children and Families, which took custody of the child.

During the investigation detectives discovered that 29-year-old attorney Sara Jones of Lake Wales was allegedly responsible for passing some of the K2- laced papers into the jail.

In an interview, Jones said she provided her client, 27-year-old Johnny Coleman, documents during an attorney-client visit at the South County Jail. She said the documents were given to her by 34-year-old Joanna Juliano of Lake Wales.

Jones told deputies she believed she had recovered all the documents from Johnny Coleman before she left her visit with him and said she had no knowledge that the documents were laced with K2.

All those arrested during this investigation were either involved in purchasing, arranging the delivery of or introducing or attempting to introduce contraband (synthetic cannabinoids/drugs) into the South County Jail.

Charges were filed Sept. 5 and 6.

Among those charged was inmate Zachary Bitner who allegedly asked his mother, Brenda Bitner, to acquire and send three envelopes with the return address of the Mathews Law Firm/PA to Zachary Bitner at the Polk County Jail. A search of Bitner's legal proceedings show Bitner is not represented by the Mathews Law Firm. Brenda Bitner reportedly sent the envelopes to a third person who attempted to smuggle them into the jail.

Detectives say jail inmate Johnny Junior Coleman asked his girlfriend, Joanna Juliano, to obtain fake legal documents from Brenda Bitner that could be used to mail K2 to the jail. Coleman gave Havaii Smith's phone number to Juliano and they met at the Sam’s Club parking lot in north Lakeland in August. Smith provided K-2-soaked papers to Juliano and Juliano put them in the fake legal envelope and mailed them to the jail. These papers later tested positive for K2.

Inmate Jamie Garst contacted his mother, Cheryl Cole, and arranged for money to be sent to Cole via a money order. In March, Cole sent a letter to her son using an envelope with a return address of the Banter Law Firm. The mail was intercepted and contained eight pages that tested positive for a ynthetic amphetamine.

Garst's girlfriend is Havaii Smith, the woman who allegedly gave K2-soaked papers to Juliano.

Garst reportedly told Smith he wanted her to write case law, statutes and Bible verses on the papers to make them appear like legitimate mail.

Arrested were:

• Johnny Coleman, 27
• Havaii Mellissa Smith, 29, of Tenoroc Mine Road, Lakeland
• Zachary Daniel Bitner, 28
• Brenda Sue Bitner, 54, Rook Road, Davenport
• Cheryl Ann Cole, 56, Senate Street, Auburndale
• Jamie Carroll Garst II, 31
• Joanna Juliano, 34, of North 9th Street, Frostproof
• Holly Boulanger, 29, of Palm Circle Drive, Lake Alfred
• Randall William Kirby, 28, of Palm Circle Drive, Lake Alfred.

Image via Polk County Sheriff

(For more local news from Florida, click here to sign up for real-time news alerts and newsletters from Patch. If you have an iPhone, click here to get the free Patch iPhone app; download the free Patch Android app here.)