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Mason Hall, 22, and three co-conspirators, Luis Valazquez, 37 Latashia Lucas, 31, and Patrick Perna, 21, all of Norristown, were charged in the case, according to the Montgomery County District Attorney's Office.
The investigation found that inmates Hall and Valazquez, both housed in the same maximum-security section of the prison, were working with Hall’s friend Perna, and Valazquez’s girlfriend Lucas in an attempt to get controlled substances into the prison through drug-soaked paper, the DA's office said.
The inmates would then sell the paper soaked with illegal drugs inside the prison at a great profit—Hall claimed in phone calls that he could double or triple $450-$500 within 21 days, according to investigators.
Detectives recovered a hand-written letter from Hall to Perna, dated Dec. 11, 2021, describing in detail the scheme to smuggle drugs like synthetic marijuana, also known as K2/Spice, into the jail by spraying the papers with drugs, a news release states.
The letter further details the demand in prison for the drug-coated paper and Hall’s plan to smuggle 10 pages a month into the jail, then sell it at a significant profit, authorities said. He writes: “This shit is deep bro and I’m trying to make $100,000 before I go upstate," according to the DA's office.
The investigation found that the first attempt to smuggle drugs into the prison was by Lucas. About a month after Valazquez was arrested, according to Lucas, she received a piece of construction paper at her home, authorities said. Valazquez instructed Lucas to have her children draw on the paper and then send it to him in prison.
Lucas did as she was instructed, according to investigators, but the paper was rejected by prison officials on Nov. 3, 2021, and returned to Lucas. Records show this rejection was because “crayon-colored artwork not permitted in the facility.”
About three weeks after this attempt, Lucas was the channel to get the drug-sprayed paper to Perna, at the direction of Hall and Valazquez, the DA's office said.
Perna then mailed a hand-written letter on Nov. 15, 2021, to Hall, which was intercepted by prison officials and not delivered due to a “stained” look, according to investigators.
It was returned to Perna’s home and recovered there by detectives during the execution of a search warrant. Testing on the letter revealed it actually was sprayed with cocaine, authorities said.
“Mason Hall and Luis Valazquez are in county prison on some very serious charges and instead of learning their lesson, they are further engaging in illegal activity,” DA Steele said.
“Thankfully, this plan to smuggle drugs into the prison was foiled, but it further shows that these two defendants seem to believe that the law doesn’t apply to them, and that they can do as they want out in society and now even in prison.”
Hall has been in MCCF since being arrested on Oct. 18, 2019, on charges of rape, involuntary deviate sexual intercourse, sexual assault, terroristic threats, and other offenses related to the gunpoint sexual assault of a woman jogging at the Norristown Farm Park on the morning of Aug. 1, 2017, leaving behind his DNA, the DA's office said.
The DNA from the rape was traced to Hall and matched to blood on a hammer put into evidence by Norristown Police from an unrelated altercation involving Hall. On June 29, 2021, Hall pled guilty to rape, possession of a firearm by a minor, possessing an instrument of crime, simple assault, terroristic threats and recklessly endangering another person. He is scheduled to be sentenced on March 2.
New felony charges against Hall and Valazquez are attempted possession of contraband by an inmate, conspiracy, attempted sale of controlled substance to an inmate, conspiracy to commit PWID, criminal solicitation, criminal use of a communications facility and related charges.
They were arraigned before a judge who set bail at $77 since both Hall and Valazquez were in jail on high bail with other cases. Their preliminary hearings are set for Feb. 15.
Lucas and Perna were arraigned before a judge on felony charges of conspiracy, attempted sale of controlled substance to an inmate, conspiracy to commit PWID, criminal solicitation, criminal use of a communications facility, and related charges.
A judge set bail at $50,000 unsecured for Lucas and Perna, and they were released. Their preliminary hearing is set for Feb. 8.
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