Former Allegheny County Jail guard charged in drug case involving inmate

A former correctional officer at the Allegheny County Jail was arrested for bringing drugs into the jail, county police said.

Raymond Toomey, 34, of Pittsburgh was charged with contraband, criminal conspiracy, possession with intent to deliver and related offenses after an Internal Affairs investigation at the facility.

Toomey turned himself in to county police Monday.

A corrections sergeant became suspicious after Toomey had contact with an inmate that violated existing procedure, according to county police. The inmate, who wasn’t named, was searched and a substance believed to be synthetic cannabinoids or K2 was found. Investigators interviewed Toomey, who later consented to a search of his car and suboxone was found in Toomey’s vehicle, police said.

Toomey’s home was also searched and money suspected to have been paid to him for drugs and a cellphone suspected to be used to for arrangement of payment and pickup of contraband was seized, police said.

Police used data made available from the download of the two seized phones and an interview with Toomey to identify the inmate involved and a person who was suspected of providing the drugs and payment to Toomey, police said.

The suspected synthetic cannabinoids were submitted to the Allegheny County Medical Examiner’s laboratory for testing. Results are pending.

Police say they also plan to file similar criminal charges against the inmate and another person, according to a statement issued by the county.

Toomey was hired as a correctional officer in December 2019 and resigned last week.