By Ray King
Stephens Media
PINE BLUFF — Criminal charges were filed Wednesday against Betsey Wright, Bill Clinton’s former gubernatorial chief of staff accused of taking contraband into a state prison.
Wright, 66, of Rogers, was charged with 51 counts of furnishing prohibited articles into a correctional facility following an state police investigation.
A state police report said the prohibited articles included a box cutter with razor, a Swiss army knife, a pen with tweezers and a needle inside, and 48 tattoo needles.
The charges were filed in Lincoln County. Prosecutor Steve Dalrymple said arrangements were being made for Wright to surrender next week.
Dalrymple said three of the counts are Class C felonies, each punishable by up to 10 years in prison. The remaining 48 counts are Class D felonies, with each could punishable by up to six years in prison.
The state police report said Wright attempted to go through an X-ray machine and metal detector at the Department of Correction’s Maximum Security Unit at Varner on May 22 and was stopped by a corrections officer when an ink pen and knife were detected.
After removing those items, which were in a plastic zippered bag, the officer reported seeing a bag of Nachos Cheese Doritos that appeared to have been opened, then resealed.
When told that she would have to open the bag, Wright reportedly told the officer that she had just bought the bag from a machine.
The report said the officer opened the bag and saw “something red in color and wrapped in paper and tape, and Ms. Wright stated, ‘Oh my goodness.’”
“Wright said the bag was lying in the bottom of the machine and she thought she was getting a free bag of chips, then she said, ‘I guess you don’t get nothing free,’” the report said, quoting corrections officers.
Wright was interviewed by Warden Grant Harris at the unit and reportedly claimed that the bag of chips, which contained the 48 tattoo needles, was in the vending machine and “she just picked it up,” the report said.
Dalrymple declined to comment Wednesday on the investigation or the charges against Wright.
Wright denied the charges.
“They think it’s me, but it’s not. I certainly did not do what they have charged me with,” Wright said in an interview with The Associated Press.
Dina Tyler, a prison spokeswoman, said homemade tattoos represent one of the fastest ways to spread hepatitis, AP reported.
The case will be assigned to Circuit Judge Jodi Dennis.
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The Associated Press contributed to this report
