Mom Disguised Tobacco as Candy for Jailed Son, Police Say

Points for creativity? A West Allis woman is accused of trying to smuggle tobacco disguised as candy to her son at the Racine Correctional Institution in Sturtevant.

Lesia Davy, 44, was charged Tuesday in Racine County Circuit Court with one felony count of delivering illegal articles to an inmate. If convicted, she faces up to 3-1/2 years in jail and/or up to $10,000 in fines.

According to the criminal complaint, on Oct. 2, Davy told her son on a recorded phone line that she would bring him 24 to 32 packets of chewing tobacco during her next visit.

When the defendant arrived at RCI at 5:50 p.m. that same day, deputies say they escorted her into a room where they opened a bag of Skittles candy in front of her. Inside the bag were 24 brightly colored balloons containing tobacco. When asked why she would do this, Davy told officers that her son need the tobacco as payment to other inmates in the facility.

The 2012 inmate handbook at RCI clearly states that drugs, tobacco, alcohol, and weapons are prohibited on state property. The criminal complaint cites the page where this rule can be found.

This is clearly listed under the "visiting" section beginning on Page 46 and specifically cites Wisconsin State Statutes § 302.095, entitled "delivering articles to inmate".

Davy was released on a $2,000 signature bond.