Jail contraband suspect wants copies of all case documents released to him

One of three men accused of trying to smuggle contraband into the Texarkana Federal Correctional Institution wants copies of all documents pertaining to his case released to him.

Kevin Tyler's lawyer, Matthew Golden of Texarkana, filed a motion in June asking the court to authorize release of the information so that Tyler can assist his lawyer in his own defense.

"The discovery documents in this case are voluminous. There are over 1000 pages of discovery," the motion states. "To assure Defendant can completely assist with his defense, he should be allowed to possess all discovery documents while in prison."

Tyler, Jack Elton Willie and Jeffrey Lee Anderson are named in an indictment handed down in March in the Texarkana Division of the Eastern District of Texas. The indictment lists four counts of attempting to provide contraband in prison and aiding and abetting. Anderson, who is named in all four counts, pleaded guilty to one count July 12 as part of a plea bargain is currently awaiting sentencing. The remaining counts against Anderson are expected to be dismissed when he is formally sentenced in several months.

Willie is named in three counts and Tyler in one count. All four counts are punishable by up to 20 years in prison and must be served consecutively to any time a defendant was already serving at the time of the offense.

According to a factual basis filed in Anderson's case, Anderson mailed strips of orange-tinted buprenorphine, a drug used to treat opiate addiction which is available in a form that can be dissolved under the tongue, to Willie at Texarkana FCI by hiding the doses beneath postage stamps.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Lucas Machicek filed a response Tuesday opposing release of documents to Tyler for his in-custody review.

The response states that the documents contain personal information "for a number of individuals," including names, addresses, social security numbers, and birthdates. The documents also include information concerning banking transactions of "multiple individuals while in custody at a federal correctional institution."

Personal information being compromised is not the only concern mentioned in the government's response.

"The government also developed and utilized multiple witnesses, including informants, whose safety could be greatly imperiled if information contained in the discovery is disclosed," the response states. "To provide the defendant with a separate copy of the discovery to retain while in custody where co-defendants and witnesses to the charged criminal violations are also being housed presents significant security and safety concerns. It has been previously held that failure to leave copies of discovery with an inmate in jail was not unreasonable."

The response notes that safety concerns extend not only to witnesses but to prison staff.

Willie and Tyler are both scheduled for trial Aug. 27 before U.S. District Judge Robert Schroeder III in Texarkana's downtown federal building.

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