Wife charged with passing drugs to husband at Westchester County Jail where inmates were sickened

VALHALLA, N.Y. (WABC) -- Authorities have charged a White Plains woman with passing suspected synthetic marijuana to her inmate husband, a substance they say sickened prisoners at the jail on several occasions this month.

Ebony Strange, 32, was charged with promoting prison contraband. Police say the charge could be upgraded pending the results of laboratory tests.

"Westchester County has zero tolerance when it comes to illegal contraband being smuggled into our jail to be used by inmates and prisoners," County Executive Rob Astorino said.

According to police, the inmate illnesses began on July 12 when three prisoners became sick at separate times during the day. An additional six prisoners became ill on July 19 and four more on July 20.

All were treated at local hospitals after exhibiting signs of drug use or drug overdose and were returned to the jail the same day.

On Monday night, Astorino ordered a complete search of the entire jail facility to locate any remaining illegal contraband. Teams of police and correction officers, supplemented by narcotics detection canines, swept all cells and common areas at the jail.

Strange was taken into custody at her home Wednesday evening and was charged following interviews conducted by detectives from the General Investigations Unit.

She is married to Deron Strange, 31, of Port Chester who was charged earlier this week with Promoting Prison Contraband 2nd Degree.

That charge was based on the remains of a burnt hand-rolled cigarette that was found following a search of his cell, investigators say. Tests are under way to confirm the substance it contains.

An additional five prisoners were charged with Promoting Prison Contraband this week for also allegedly being in possession of small amounts of drugs or drug paraphernalia.

In a related development, Correction officers Thursday seized 40 glassine envelopes containing a white powder believed to be heroin that a visitor attempted to pass to an inmate.

All the inmates are out of the hospital. Meantime, officials say every building of the jail will be searched, and all policies reviewed.

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