Photo from McAlester Police DepartmentShown here is evidence police say they gathered from a Chevy truck that was parked close to the OSP. Police suspect a drop at the prison was attempted before officers made arrests. 

Three men attempted to smuggle methamphetamine, marijuana, tobacco and cell phones over the wall and into the Oklahoma State Penitentiary last week, according to the McAlester, Oklahoma Police Department

Daniel Harris, 37, William Palmer, 35, and John Emberson, 35, were arrested Thursday after they were caught outside the prison walls.

Authorities say they started their investigation when they were alerted to a black Chevy truck hanging around the OSP.

Officer Colby Barnett said the truck was pulled over at around 4 a.m., with two men Palmer, the driver, and Harris, a passenger, inside. 

“I asked the subjects what they were doing parked on the side of the road by the prison and Daniel (Harris) stated that he was fishing,” Barnett wrote in an affidavit. Palmer was detained for driving with an expired driver’s license.

According to reports, Barnett found a plastic baggy he believed to contain methamphetamine on the ground next to the road and found another similar bag underneath Harris after ordering him out of the truck. 

While Palmer denied ownership of the truck, Officer Chris Troussel and McAlester Police Captain Jeff McKee found more contraband inside. In total, four plastic baggies containing meth, seven tubes of marijuana, seven vials of what Barnett believed to be Phencyclidine (PCP), 10 bundles of tobacco, three rolls of Grizzly snuff, 32 cell phones, and numerous phone chargers were found, all bundled in black electrical tape. 

“I asked William (Palmer) if they were doing a drop at the prison and he paused for a second and then stated ‘yes sir,’” Barnett wrote.

According to the OSP, drops usually involve individuals throwing items over the prison walls into certain areas. Prisoners are locked down 23 hours a day, but are allowed one hour outside in the yard. When prisoners find items thrown over the walls they gradually sneak the paraphernalia inside by hiding items on or inside their bodies.

According to reports, Palmer also told officers he was making $300 for driving from Enid, Oklahoma to the prison and that another man who was involved had fled from the truck before they were pulled over. Officers found John Emberson near the prison just before 7 a.m.

Harris faces a count of conspiracy to deliver contraband, possession of controlled dangerous substance, and misdemeanor possession of controlled dangerous substance. Palmer faces the same charged and along with a count of eluding/attempting to elude a police officer. Emberson was charged with a single felony count of conspiracy to deliver contraband. 

Perry writes for the McAlester (OK.) News-Capital