NORTHAMPTON — A Northampton man pleaded not guilty Thursday to smuggling drugs into the Hampshire County Jail in his rectum.
Travis M. Mitchell, 38, of 282 Spring St., Apt. 1, in Florence, originally was in in Northampton District Court on Feb. 9 when he pleaded not guilty to charges of disseminating obscene matter to a minor, stalking, intimidating a witness and harassment.
When Mitchell was ordered to jail, he allegedly placed in his rectum a pill bottle containing a baggie of cocaine and a strip of suboxone that he had brought with him to court, according to court records.
Mitchell managed to get from court into the jail without the drugs being detected.
The drugs were not discovered until a cell check Feb. 10 when an officer noticed the bottle in Mitchell’s shirt pocket.
On Feb. 15, Mitchell became upset and hurled a plastic lunch tray at an officer and tried to tackle him. The officer restrained Mitchell as he resisted on the ground, according to court records.
Mitchell pleaded not guilty Thursday in Northampton District Court to the new charges of drug possession and assault with a deadly weapon. He is due back in court April 14 on the latest charges.
Michael Majchrowicz can be reached at mmajchrowicz@gazettenet.com.