Two Henderson County inmates were charged this week with possessing weapons in their cells, according to Capt. Frank Stout with the Sheriff’s Office.
Stout said that a search of two inmate’s cells Sunday turned up two weapons — a blood lancet and a piece of bone that had been sharpened.
Charles Steven Blow, 28, of 31 Bobcat Hill Lane, Hendersonville was charged with felony possession of a weapon by a prisoner. His bond set for that charge was set at $4,000.
“During the search of his cell, detention officers discovered a blood lancet — a needle used for diabetic testing — in his cell,” Stout said. “Mr. Blow is not a diabetic and therefore had no medical reason to posses this item.”
Stout said the needle was stolen from a diabetic kit kept in the jail for patients with diabetes. He could not say how Blow was able to steal the equipment, but said it was found in Blow’s possession during a routine check of the inmates’ cells.
Stout said that a subsequent search of another cell turned up the sharpened bone.
Ernest James Orr, 55, of 11 Shade Tree Lane, Lot 39, Hendersonville, was also charged with felony possession of a weapon by a prisoner. Bond was set at $4,000.
“Officers found in his possession a piece of bone that had been filed and sharpened into a knife-like object,” Stout said.
The bone was in the chipped beef served as part of the inmates’ meals, Stout said. He did not say if the two incidents were related.
Stout said he could not reach the supervisor working the shift when the weapons were found and couldn’t say if measures had been taken to prevent inmates from obtaining similar weapons.
“It is a constant effort for all the officers to ensure everyone’s safety, both the inmates’ and the detention officers’,” Stout said.
Blow was originally arrested in December and charged with first-degree rape of a child and three counts of first-degree sex offense with a child. He was being held under a $600,000 secured bond.
Orr is in jail for two counts of felony trafficking opium or heroin and two counts of felony maintaining a vehicle or dwelling for the use or sale of a controlled substance. He is scheduled to appear in court again for his drug charges on April 16.
Blow is scheduled to appear in court again on April 16 for his sex crime charges.
Both men are slated to appear in court on April 20 for their charges of possessing a weapon in the jail.
