In a strange and failed attempt to smuggle drugs into jail, someone shot an arrow filled with cocaine at the Fayette County Jail. Officials say it was meant to reach two inmates working with people outside, but the arrow hit a wall instead. The unusual plan didn’t work, and no drugs made it inside. WPXI reported the arrow was discovered on June 6, after having been shot from across Route 21 on June 2.
Surveillance footage and phone call recordings lifted the veil on the plan, exposing a commune of criminal minds that included Charles Smith, Alfonso Pugh, Amanda Frey, and Seth Stepich—Stepich being the only one not yet in police custody, as the arrow's discovery and subsequent investigation led to charges against the quartet. In the case of Smith and Frey, a relationship further complicates the narrative—with Smith already inside the jail and Frey documented on video preparing the drug-laden projectile, as they allegedly hatched their plot over a video call, Frey was seen manipulating a rubber glove and inserting an object into the arrow's shaft. At the same time, Smith pressed "Don't let anything stop you in the way" and "Make sure that (expletive) goes through," according to WPXI.
Investigators delving into the jail's recorded phone lines unearthed conversations of the suspects discussing their operation, using not-so-subtle code language to detail their crossbow acquisition needs and drug packing methods. "I need a cross... the only thing I don't have is a crossbow. I need a crossbow. One with a little power behind it. Gonna have at least 200 pounds of draw," one alleged conspirator optimistically underestimated the jail's defenses, as recounted by CBS News Pittsburgh.
District Attorney Mike Aubele made it clear that there’s zero tolerance for these kinds of smuggling attempts, no matter how bold or unusual they may be.
