Overview
- Henna Havila Martinez, who pleaded guilty to the smuggling scheme, was sentenced to six years on Thursday, according to Texas prison officials.
- Investigators say she soaked synthetic cannabinoids and other narcotics into leather-covered Bibles, religious materials, magazines, newspapers, and legal mail sent to inmates.
- Staff at TDCJ’s Allred Unit first spotted Bibles with heavily saturated pages that field tests showed contained synthetic cannabinoids, which triggered an OIG investigation.
- The probe tied packages to an Office Depot in Wichita Falls where surveillance showed Martinez using self-checkout; authorities documented three mailed parcels with about 360 grams of synthetic cannabinoids and later seized 4.9 pounds at her home.
- K2, a lab-made drug that mimics THC, is illegal in Texas and has been linked to seizures, hallucinations, and rapid heart rate, which TDCJ leaders say underscores the need for tighter mail screening to protect inmates and staff.