Mom Guilty Of Bringing Drugs To Jailed Son: Delco DA

MEDIA, PA – A Philadelphia woman was convicted recently of supplying drugs to her son who is incarcerated in the State Correctional Institution in Chester, according to Delaware County District Attorney Katayoun M. Copeland.

The DA's office said Janette Ortiz, 52, of Philadelphia, was found guilty of contraband, delivery of a controlled substance and criminal use of communication facility, all felony charges.

Ortiz brought the drugs in to the prison for her son, Julio Ortiz, who then sold the drugs to other inmates, according to the DA's office.

The jury deliberated for less than 90 minutes before delivering a verdict on July 13. The offense of contraband carries a two-year mandatory minimum term of incarceration. Ortiz has two previous convictions for delivery of a controlled substance, the DA's office said.

On behalf of the Commonwealth, the case was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Michael H. Hill and investigated by Pennsylvania Department of Corrections Agent Darryl Bradley, Agent Jeffrey Theobald, Sergeant Jose Soto, and Corrections Officer Lorie Eason, all of whom testified at trial.

On Feb. 9 last year, authorities searched prison cell at the SCI.

During the search, 13 strips of Suboxone, a Schedule III drug, were discovered inside the Julio Ortiz's headphones, the DA's office said.

During an interview with investigators, inmate Julio Ortiz admitted that he and his mother, Janette Ortiz, worked together to bring Suboxone into the prison to sell for profit to other inmates, according to the DA's office.

Further investigation revealed on Feb. 5, 2017, Janette Ortiz hid 20 strips of Suboxone and entered the prison to visit her son, the DA's office said.

She then surreptitiously handed the Suboxone to her son, who then swallowed the package of narcotics, the DA's office said.

Back in his cell, inmate he regurgitated the package of Suboxone, which he then hid in his headphones and later sold some of them to other inmates, according to the DA's office.

Family members and friends of the inmates paid him for the drug, and the funds were transferred to his mother, according to the DA's office.

"Bringing drugs into a state correctional facility is a serious felony offense and those who attempt to do so in Delaware County will be arrested and prosecuted," Copeland said. "In the case of Janette Ortiz, under the guise of a motherly visit, she capitalized on her son’s incarceration, and preyed upon his fellow inmates’ weakness and addiction to opioids for her own selfish profit. I would like to commend Assistant District Attorney Michael H. Hill for his outstanding efforts to bring this conviction against Ms. Ortiz and commend the Pennsylvania Department of Corrections for their investigative efforts that led to the apprehension of this individual."

Image via Delaware County District Attorney's Office