A 23-year-old man suspected of smuggling narcotics to his relative in a Riverside County jail was arrested Friday on suspicion of sending controlled substances via the mail, as well as conspiracy.
Andrew Keith Bowman of Los Angeles was taken into custody without incident Friday morning after a warrant was served by sheriff’s deputies at his residence in the 5800 block of Overhill Drive, just south of Kenneth Hahn State Recreation Area.
Bowman was booked into the Byrd Detention Center in Murrieta. Bail information was not immediately available.
According to sheriff’s Sgt. Matt Posson, Corrections Investigations Bureau personnel in December became aware of illicit substances reaching the Murrieta jail by way of the U.S. Postal Service.
Posson said that further investigation led to identification of the alleged sender — Bowman — and the alleged recipient, 29-year-old Daniel Bowman of Los Angeles. The men are possibly siblings. Sheriff’s officials would only say they’re related.
Posson said sufficient evidence was gathered to obtain and serve a search warrant at Andrew Bowman’s home, where “counterfeit bills, drug paraphernalia, two unregistered firearms and evidence linking Bowman to the smuggling of narcotics into the jail” were seized.
The suspect was arrested on the spot.
Daniel Bowman was convicted of unspecified offenses and transferred to the custody of the California Department of Corrections & Rehabilitation earlier this year, according to the sheriff’s department.
Posson attributed the success of the investigation to the system-wide “Jailhouse Mail” scanning policy, which was enacted “to combat the supply of narcotics into our jail system.”
“Inmate education is a priority within our jails, and inmates are furnished with educational material and classes about the dangers of narcotics, with an emphasis on fentanyl,” the sergeant said.
Background information on Andrew and Daniel Bowman wasn’t provided.