Lea County Correctional Facility officers discover cell phone charger stashed in potato chip bag and phone hidden in visitor’s pants. Courtesy photo

NMCD News:

The New Mexico Corrections Department reports that a visitor was arrested for bringing a cell phone into a prison and faces charges under the state’s new law.

Security Threat Intelligence Officers were conducting searches of the inmate family visit trailers at the Lea County Correctional Facility Saturday when they discovered a cell phone and phone charger.

Blanca Nevarez, who was visiting her husband inmate Marque Cheeks, was turned over to the Hobbs Police Department and will now face felony charges for bringing a cell phone into a prison.

Officers say they found the cell phone in Nevarez’s pants pocket and the cell phone charger inside a bag of potato chips. She has been charged under the new law that went into effect July 1, 2013. Under this new law, smuggling a cell phone is now a 4th degree felony.