CAVALIER (trfnews.i234.me) — A Cavalier woman has been sentenced to two years in prison after admitting to smuggling Suboxone into the Grand Forks County Jail as part of a wider drug trafficking scheme within the correctional facility.
Elaine Alexis Longtine, 26, pleaded guilty to a Class A felony charge of conspiracy to deliver or possess with intent to deliver a controlled substance inside a correctional facility. She was sentenced on February 6 to five years in prison with two years to be served behind bars and three years on supervised probation. She also received credit for two days already served and must undergo a chemical dependency evaluation.
The investigation began in April 2024 when correctional staff discovered small, orange sticker-like tabs inside an envelope. The tabs were later identified as Suboxone, a medication containing buprenorphine and naloxone, commonly used to treat opioid use disorder. Suboxone is available as tablets or dissolvable film strips, the latter of which is often smuggled into correctional facilities due to its inconspicuous size and form.
Authorities were tipped off by an informant who indicated that inmate Andrew Harlan Stenerson orchestrated the drug smuggling operation from within the jail. Stenerson, already convicted, was sentenced in July 2024 to serve eight years for his role in the same conspiracy.
This case highlights the ongoing battle correctional facilities face in combating the flow of narcotics to incarcerated populations and underscores the danger of opioid misuse inside prison walls.
I’m Chris Harper, and I’m reporting for TRF News.
Did you know?
-
Suboxone is a common contraband in U.S. correctional facilities due to its small, easily concealed strip form.
-
Buprenorphine, the main ingredient in Suboxone, is a partial opioid agonist and can still cause dependence.
-
According to the Bureau of Justice Statistics, over 50% of inmates have a history of drug dependence or abuse.