BORDERLAND

Inmate guilty of plan 
to smuggle drugs to jail

5/6/2014

A Lucas County jail inmate pleaded no contest Monday to a reduced charge for his role in a plan to smuggle drugs into the jail.

Jesse Perez, 34, of 1003 Mott Ave. was found guilty of attempted permitting drug abuse, a misdemeanor, and sentenced by Lucas County Common Pleas Judge Gene Zmuda to 90 days at the Corrections Center of Northwest Ohio near Stryker. Perez has spent more than 90 days in jail; he was credited for time served.

Prosecutors said Perez convinced his wife, Salina Perez, to deliver drugs to a former corrections officer at the jail, Michelle Vining, who was then to take them to him so he could sell them to inmates. Charges were dismissed against Ms. Perez. Ms. Vining resigned from the sheriff’s office and pleaded guilty to two misdemeanor counts of dereliction of duty.