Audrain County jailer accused of being part of drug conspiracy

COLUMBIA, Missouri (KMIZ)

An Audrain County prison guard has been accused of helping smuggle drugs, including heroin, into the prison.

Prosecutor Jacob Shellabarger charged Kyle M. McIntire Thursday with one felony count of drug distribution. A probable cause statement filed by Audrain County Sheriff's Major James Shrader said an inmate told jailers that other inmates had ingested a powdered substance on Sept. 26, according to a probable cause statement.

A search uncovered paraphernalia and heroin, and a test revealed possible traces of methamphetamine and a fentanyl-like drug, the statement said.

McIntire allegedly admitted under questioning that fellow defendant Jameera Keen delivered him pills in a sandwich while he was working that evening, the statement said. McIntire said he then handed the drugs to an inmate, the statement said.

It was not clear Thursday whether McIntire had been booked. A call to the sheriff's extension went to a full voicemail box. Prison guards referred ABC 17 News to Shrader for more information and a message was left on his office phone.

Shellabarger asked for no bail and wrote in a memo that McIntire was part of a “larger drug trafficking conspiracy” and that the heroin could have killed an inmate.

“This defendant was in a position of public trust and used that position to smuggle illegal contraband into our prison, endangering everyone in the facility,” Shellabarger wrote.

Keen was charged with conspiracy to commit a felony, drug possession and negligent possession of drug paraphernalia.