Corrections officer waives preliminary hearing

A corrections officer accused of bringing drugs into the state prison at Rockview waived his preliminary hearing Wednesday before District Judge Kelley Gillette-Walker.

Rodney Norval Stahl, 32, of Milton, is accused of attempting to smuggle synthetic marijuana, oxycodone, tramadol and laprazolam into the institution on Aug. 4.

Stahl was bound over on all charges. He will have a pretrial conference at which he can enter a guilty or non-guilty plea. Should he decide to plead guilty, he will face sentencing. Should he plead not guilty, the case will proceed to trial.

State police at Rockview say the security office at Rockview received an anonymous tip that Stahl was bringing drugs to the prison. In an attempt to catch him, numerous staff members were selected to be randomly searched on Aug. 4.

Drugs were detected on Stahl after a random search at the prison. The affidavit of probable cause alleges the drugs were concealed in a “clear plastic vacuum bag” in Stahl’s right boot.

According to the court documents, Stahl told investigators the clear plastic bag “contained various drugs.”

Stahl had worked for the state Department of Corrections for a year and a half before the incident.

In an interview between Stahl and police, Stahl admitted that he “traveled to Philadelphia where he was given a package containing the drugs.” He also admitted that he paid for the drugs, later opening the package at his house.

Stahl posted bail, which was set by Gillette-Walker at $15,000. He faces 11 felony counts.

This story was originally published January 13, 2016 at 8:00 PM with the headline "Corrections officer waives preliminary hearing."