A Bradford woman is facing new drug charges after she allegedly brought methamphetamine into the McKean County Jail.
Christine M. Cutlip, 33, of 52 Pearl St., Lower Apt., was arraigned Tuesday before District Judge William Todd on charges of possession of controlled substance contraband by an inmate, a second-degree felony; possession with the intent to deliver a controlled substance, a felony; and possession of a controlled substance, a misdemeanor.
According to the criminal complaint, on Sept. 28, 2019, Cutlip was brought to McKean County Jail after officers with the McKean County Drug Task Force arrested her for allegations that she was involved with a meth delivery. In addition, a state parole detainer was applied due to a past conviction in a heroin delivery that resulted in an overdose.
An officer asked her if she had anything in her possession, such as more meth, before she went to the jail, and she said she did not. The officer warned her that she would be in more trouble if she smuggled anything inside, but that did not change her answer, the complaint stated.
Around 2 p.m. Sept. 29, 2019, a corrections officer took Cutlip to use the restroom in the old booking room at the jail, and the officer checked the floor and toilet to make sure there was nothing there, as she was in a “dry celled” area due to a history of “packing drugs in her genital area,” according to court records.
A dry cell is a cell without running water that is used when staff suspect an inmate ingested or concealed contraband. The goal is to prevent the inmate from getting rid of evidence.
When Cutlip first left her cell, the correctional officer saw a rolled up wad of toilet paper in her hand, which she held while she took an approximately 15-minute phone call. After the call, Cutlip asked what she needed to do to get out of the dry cell, and the officer told her she needed to have a bowel movement.
Cutlip and the officer entered the bathroom together, and the officer had to call for someone to bring more toilet paper. While Cutlip was using the restroom, the officer heard something hit the floor in front of Cutlip; the officer believes “Cutlip was trying to unravel the item to flush it when she accidentally dropped it,” the complaint stated.
The correctional officer ordered Cutlip to move away from the toilet. The officer had to warn her to move and go to her cell before she would comply, court records indicated.
According to the complaint, upon investigation officers determined that what Cutlip dropped was a bag containing 6.65 grams of meth. As the amount seized was larger than what an average user might possess, the investigating officer determined that she intended to distribute it to other inmates.
Bail in the new case was set at $10,000, and a preliminary hearing is scheduled for May 29.
The drug case for which she was arrested on Sept. 28 has yet to be resolved, too.
The criminal complaint in that case alleges that on Sept. 28 Cutlip arranged a meth sale, and William Doran and Jordan Johnson helped to carry out the sale. Johnson has pleaded guilty and is serving incarceration in the case, while court records indicate a trial is pending for Doran.
No trial date is set for Cutlip or Doran.
At the time of both pending cases against Cutlip, she was on state supervision for allegations that she sold a man fentanyl-laced heroin, which caused him to overdose. Emergency personnel had to revive the man with Narcan.
