Former Yakima teacher admits smuggling drugs into Connell prison

A former Yakima School District teacher has admitted trying to smuggle narcotics to a prisoner in Connell.

Celah Laree Wales, 38, pleaded guilty earlier this week in Franklin County Superior Court to a reduced felony charge of conspiracy.

She originally was charged with delivering a controlled substance.

Court documents show that Wales went to Coyote Ridge Corrections Center on Feb. 28 to visit Matthew Carter.

Corrections staff had prior information that Wales may try something, so she was monitored closely while interacting with Carter.

Officers watched as Wales spit “several small objects” from her mouth into a clear juice bottle, then handed it to Carter to drink, documents said.

Carter was then put in a “dry” cell, which has no plumbing facilities like a toilet or shower. Staff eventually collected several colored balloons from Carter’s feces, court documents said.

One balloon had remnants and complete pills, which were identified as Clonazepam, a sedative. Two other balloons had green vegetable matter that tested positive for marijuana, documents said.

It is unclear what her relationship was with Carter. He now is housed at Clallam Bay Corrections Center on the Olympic Peninsula, according to the state Department of Corrections website.

Wales, in her plea statement, said she knowingly and willingly delivered the controlled substance to Carter with knowledge he may deliver it to another person.

At the time of her arrest, Wales was a special education teacher at Davis High School.

The Yakima woman had worked for the school district since September 2011. She was placed on administrative leave on March 4, 2015, pending an investigation of misconduct, and then resigned Oct. 22, a district spokeswoman told the Herald.

Wales had no known criminal history before this case. She was sentenced to three months in the Franklin County jail, then was taken into custody during the court hearing.

Once her jail time is done, Wales cannot have in-person, verbal, telephonic, written or third-party contact with any incarcerated person for five years.

Judge Alex Ekstrom also ordered her not to possess, deliver or introduce into her own body any controlled substance or legend drug without a valid prescription.

This story was originally published February 4, 2016 at 7:23 PM with the headline "Former Yakima teacher admits smuggling drugs into Connell prison."