Defense attorney indicted for 'smuggling prescription drugs to her clients behind bars'
- Jill Swerdin, 46, accused of sneaking prescription drugs to her clients behind bars
- Eight other people, including her 20-year-old son Brett, also indicted in the possible conspiracy
Accused: Attorney Jill Swerdlin has been indicted for allegedly smuggling prescription drugs to her clients in jail
An experienced Baltimore defense attorney now has some explaining of her own to do after being accused of smuggling prescription drugs to her clients in jail.
Jill Swerdlin, 46, has been indicted with her 20-year-old son Brett of conspiracy to both possess and distribute Oxycodone and other drugs.
Seven other people have also been accused of involvement in a possible plot.
The indictment, unsealed last week, specifies that drugs were sneaked behind bars between May 3 and September 11.
Elise Armacost, a police spokeswoman, told WJZ: 'Earlier this year we received information that a local defense attorney was bringing drugs into the Baltimore County Detention Center and distributing them to the clients.
'The investigation showed that that attorney was Swerdlin,' Armacost confirmed.
The Baltimore Sun reported that the attorney has been a member of the Maryland State Bar Association since 1991 and is a former public defender.
'A larger investigation has grown out of the Swerdlin case, but because it is still an active investigation, we are not commenting on it at this time,' Armacost told the paper in an email.
Sneaking in? The case centers around prescription drugs somehow getting to prisoners in Baltimore County jail
The spokeswoman continued that 'the investigation does not show that Swerdlin was operating a large-scale, organized drug ring - inside the detention center or outside of it.'
Swerdlin was arrested on September 30 and bailed for $25,000. She would face up to 24 years in prison and $50,000 in fines if convicted.
Share this article
Authorities have not yet revealed how they think Swerdlin smuggled the drugs into the jail, who to, her motives for doing so or the source of their tip-off on the alleged conspiracy.
'Our narcotics team is still working on it, so this is very much an ongoing investigation, and we will have to see where it leads us,' Armacost told WJZ.
Breaking the rules: Police say they seized prescription pills such as Oxycodone, Hydrocodone, Xanax, and Suboxone
Police say they seized prescription pills such as Oxycodone, Hydrocodone, Xanax, and Suboxone. Officers also took as 'various amounts' of heroin, cocaine and marijuana.
The Baltimore Sun reported that Swerdlin didn't comment on Monday but last week said she was 'focusing on taking care of my kids and my family' and will be hiring an attorney.
According to the paper, a number of lawyers who take cases in Baltimore County said that they are not patted down when visiting clients like in other jails.
Attorney David Irwin said he hasn't been patted down, but lawyers must go through a metal detector and have their briefcases searched.
'They have very good security from a safety standpoint,' Irwin said, before adding 'I don't think the focus was on contraband.'
Most watched News videos
- Shocking moment woman is abducted by man in Oregon
- Shocking moment passenger curses at Mayor Eric Adams on Delta flight
- Moment escaped Household Cavalry horses rampage through London
- New AI-based Putin biopic shows the president soiling his nappy
- Vacay gone astray! Shocking moment cruise ship crashes into port
- Prison Break fail! Moment prisoners escape prison and are arrested
- Rayner says to 'stop obsessing over my house' during PMQs
- Columbia protester calls Jewish donor 'a f***ing Nazi'
- Shocking moment pandas attack zookeeper in front of onlookers
- MMA fighter catches gator on Florida street with his bare hands
- Helicopters collide in Malaysia in shocking scenes killing ten
- Ammanford school 'stabbing': Police and ambulance on scene
