A former correctional officer at Hays State Prison, previously convicted of smuggling contraband into the facility in Chattooga County, was arrested in Gordon County this past week on multiple drug and weapons charges. Mark Jeffery, 40, of Calhoun, was taken into custody last Tuesday night after Gordon County Sheriff’s deputies responded to a suspicious person and vehicle report at a private residence on Cash Road near Sonoraville.

According to the Gordon County Sheriff’s Office, deputies arrived on the scene around 11:15 p.m. on February 11th. They identified Jeffery, who appeared to be under the influence, and discovered drugs on his person, leading to his arrest. A subsequent search of Jeffery’s vehicle revealed a substantial amount of illegal substances, including methamphetamine, heroin, oxycodone tablets, ecstasy, Xanax, psilocybin mushrooms, and marijuana. Authorities also recovered two illegally possessed firearms from the vehicle. Jeffery is now facing charges of trafficking in heroin and methamphetamine, possession of Schedule II and IV narcotics, possession of psilocybin mushrooms, and multiple weapons violations.

This arrest marks a return to law enforcement’s radar for Jeffery, who previously served time in federal prison for his role in smuggling contraband into Hays State Prison in Trion, Georgia. He began working at Hays State Prison in April 2017. In February 2018, a fellow correctional officer discovered a suspicious package concealed in Jeffery’s belongings, leading to a search that uncovered cell phones, chargers, pills, methamphetamine, and alcohol. Jeffery, then 34, pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance and was sentenced in 2019 by Senior U.S. District Judge Harold L. Murphy to five years in prison, followed by three years of supervised release. The case was investigated by the FBI and the Georgia Department of Corrections.

Currently, Jeffery is being held in the Gordon County Jail awaiting a court appearance on the latest charges. The investigation is ongoing.