Inmate is facing drug charges

State police at the Frackville barracks have reported the arrest of Jose Diaz, 26, an inmate at the State Correctional Institute, Mahanoy Township, on drug-related charges.

He has been charged with two counts of possession of a controlled substance with intent to deliver and one count of possession of contraband and possession of a small amount of marijuana.

Police said the arrest was the result of investigation of intelligence information obtained by the Department of Corrections staff who conducted a search of the cell in which Diaz was housed. Police said during a strip search of Diaz on Dec. 26, 2014, two plastic baggies were observed falling from his buttocks and another small plastic bag was observed in the area of the man's buttocks.

Police said the baggies contained green leafy vegetable matter and nine white packets, each of which contained an orange strip suspected to be suboxone.

Results of testing done at the PA State Police regional laboratory revealed the vegetable matter was a Schedule 1 controlled substance (marijuana) and the white packets were identified as a Schedule III controlled substance (buprenorphine).