Anti-anxiety pills spur smuggling charges at jail

Posted by ChaddsFordLive on October 28, 2016

An alleged, pill-smuggling attempt in the visitation room at the George W. Hill Correctional Facility has led to criminal charges, authorities said.

Delaware County District Attorney Jack Whelan announced that Frank J. Cipriotti, 67, of Broomall, is charged with criminal conspiracy, furnishing controlled substance contraband to an inmate, and possession charges. Christine Marie Hamilton, 29, of Drexel Hill, an inmate at the facility, was charged with conspiracy and possession of contraband, a press release said.

Investigators said on Wednesday, Oct. 26, Detective Robert Lythgoe of

the Delaware County Criminal Investigation Division’s Special Investigations Unit and Detective Timothy Deery responded to George W. Hill Correctional Facility for a report of contraband, which was observed on video surveillance in the visitation room, the release said.

Through the course of the investigation, it was determined that Cipriotti was visiting Hamilton when he was observed unzipping his trousers and removing an item wrapped in plastic, which he gave to Hamilton. She attempted to hide the package of 50 Xanax pills, which were prescribed for Cipriotti, in her bra, the release said.

Cipriotti was arraigned and released on $150,000 unsecured bail while Hamilton remains incarcerated on a probation violation. Both have a preliminary hearing scheduled for Thursday, Nov. 3, the release said.