Marple Man Attempted To Smuggle Drugs Into Prison: DA's Office

A Marple Township man and an inmate at George W. Hill Correctional Facility are facing charges after the man attempted to smuggle drugs into the prison for the inmate, Delaware County District Attorney Jack Whelan said Friday.

According to Whelan's office, Frank Joseph Cipriotti, 67, of Broomall, has been charged with criminal conspiracy, furnishing controlled substance contraband to an inmate, a felony of the second degree, and possession charges in violation of the controlled substance act. Additionally, Christine Marie Hamilton, 29, who is an inmate at the correctional facility, has also charged with conspiracy and possession of contraband, a felony of the second degree, the DA's office said.

The charges stem from an Oct. 26 incident at the prison, where authorities from the Delware County Criminal Investigation Division (CID) responded to the prison for a report of contraband, the DA's office said.

CID detectives determined during Cipriotti's visit with Hamilton, he gave Hamilton a plastic-wrapped item that was later found to be 50 Xanax pills prescribed to Cipriotti, the DA's office said.

Cipriotti was arraigned and released on $150,000 bail unsecured, while Hamilton remains incarcerated, according to the DA's office.

Both have a preliminary hearing scheduled for Nov. 3, the DA's office said.

Images via Delaware County District Attorney's Office