Attorney looks soaking wet after he's arrested for smuggling drugs, cellphones into prison

Clockwise from left: Contraband seized by police from lawyer Daniel Dale in August 2024 in Hinds County, Mississippi; attorney Daniel Dale; Marcell Cornelius Martin; William Antonio Harness Jr. (Hinds County Sheriffs Office).

Mississippi lawyer Daniel Dale was arrested Thursday after sheriffs in Hinds County said he tried to smuggle drugs — including marijuana — along with cellphones, a digital scale, cigarettes, cigar wraps and more contraband into a local detention center in an alleged conspiracy with two detainees.

In a statement from the Hinds County Sheriff’s Office posted Thursday on Facebook, officials say they charged Dale with two counts of conspiracy plus a trio of introduction to contraband to a correctional facility charges.

“Attorney Dale, allegedly posing as legal counsel for some Hinds County detainees, was allegedly smuggling cell phones and other contraband during visitations,” the sheriff’s office said. “During a visitation this afternoon he was found to be in possession of several items of contraband and cell phones in an attempt to pass them to a detainee. He was detained, questioned and later charged. Attorney Dale, in a trusted position responsible for the constitutional rights of arrested suspects, jeopardized the safety and integrity of the Hinds County Detention Facilities and the public.”

An investigation is still ongoing and Dale may face additional charges.

NBC affiliate WLBT reported that Dale 49, received a $75,000 bond on Friday after appearing before Hinds County Judge Johnnie McDaniel.

Prosecutors said when Dale came into the prison he would pretend to be meeting with clients but in fact he was hauling drugs and other contraband items into the jail inside of his silver briefcase.

Dale allegedly was found with two cellphones and two cellphone chargers, four vacuum-sealed packs of cigarettes and four packages of marijuana.

WLBT reported that two of the detainees at the Hinds County Detention Center, William Antonio Harness Jr. and Marcell Cornelius Martin, were in on the alleged scheme with Dale.

Dale was arrested after he was seen on video from the jail allegedly passing a cellphone and an envelope to a reported client.

Harness was arrested in June on murder charges in connection to a drive-by shooting. He is also facing charges of simple and aggravated assault for that incident and for being a felon in possession of a weapon. Sheriffs told the outlet that he is likely to face new criminal charges in connection to the alleged smuggling conspiracy.

Martin has been under arrest since 2021 and is facing two murder charges as well as a charge being a convicted felon in possession of a concealed weapon, according to WLBT, and it is not yet clear whether he will face additional charges.

The post Attorney looks soaking wet after he’s arrested for smuggling drugs, cellphones into prison first appeared on Law & Crime .