ST. LOUIS – A former Lincoln County, Missouri jail contract employee has been sentenced to prison for his role in smuggling fentanyl and methamphetamine into the jail.
Kevin Childers Jr., 38, was sentenced to 51 months in prison by U.S. District Judge Henry E. Autrey on Monday for his role in the conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute fentanyl and methamphetamine.
Childers was one of three people to have pleaded guilty to the crime. Steven Williamson Jr., 37, and Brittany Spangler, 35, were sentenced earlier this year. Williamson was an inmate and trustee who worked in the kitchen, while Spangler was his girlfriend. Childers ran the jail kitchen as a contract employee.
The trio admitted conspiring to smuggle fentanyl and meth into the jail between June 27, 2022, and Oct. 6, 2022. Judge Autrey previously sentenced Williamson to 51 months in prison and Spangler to 37 months in prison.
The case was investigated by the FBI and the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office, with Assistant U.S. Attorney Christine Krug prosecuting the case.
Childers’ sentence marks the latest development in the scandal, which exposed the vulnerability of the jail to contraband and raised concerns about the safety of inmates and staff.
The exact dates and details of how the smuggling operation worked remain unclear, but the investigation and subsequent sentencing serve as a reminder of the ongoing struggle to combat the flow of illicit substances into correctional facilities.
Key Facts
- State: Missouri
- Category: Drug Trafficking|Violent Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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