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Men arrested for trying to smuggle contraband into Washington County prison

By FOX 5 Atlanta Digital Team
Published  May 13, 2025 4:05pm EDT
Georgia
FOX 5 Atlanta
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Courtesy of Washington County Sheriff's Office

The Brief

    • Two suspects were arrested on Mother’s Day for attempting to smuggle large amounts of contraband near Washington State Prison.
    • Alonzo Holiday, 39, and Jaden Nelson, 18, were each tracked and captured with the help of Georgia Department of Corrections K-9 units.
    • Seized items included marijuana, ecstasy, methamphetamine, tobacco, Xanax, cell phones, and other items banned in prisons; both suspects face multiple felony charges.

WASHINGTON COUNTY, Ga. - Washington County deputies and the Georgia Department of Corrections made two major arrests on Mother’s Day after separate incidents involving individuals attempting to smuggle large amounts of contraband near Washington State Prison.

The first arrest occurred early Sunday morning around 7 a.m., when deputies were alerted to a man seen running through a field near the prison, carrying multiple large bags. Responding quickly, Washington County deputies and a Department of Corrections K-9 unit tracked the suspect into nearby woods. He was found hiding and taken into custody.

The man, identified as 39-year-old Alonzo Holiday of Augusta, was carrying a significant quantity of illegal items, including:

  • 7 pounds of marijuana
  • 309 grams of ecstasy
  • 29 pounds of tobacco
  • 37 cell phones

Holiday now faces a series of charges, including possession with intent to distribute marijuana, trafficking in ecstasy, criminal trespass, and several counts related to bringing illegal items across guard lines and trading with inmates.

Later that night, around 11 p.m., deputies were alerted once again—this time to a person near the prison carrying a large backpack. Washington County deputies and a Georgia DOC K-9 team responded. The department’s K-9 named Kenai successfully tracked the suspect, who was located and taken into custody.

The second suspect, identified as 18-year-old Jaden Nelson of South Fulton, was found with:

  • 13.5 grams of methamphetamine
  • 122 grams of ecstasy
  • 60 Xanax bars
  • 1 pound of marijuana

Nelson is facing multiple charges, including trafficking in ecstasy, criminal trespass, possession with intent to distribute various illegal substances, and crossing guard lines with contraband.

Washington County Sheriff Joel Cochran praised the swift collaboration between local deputies and state correctional officers, noting that their efforts prevented a substantial amount of dangerous contraband from reaching inmates.

The Source

  • Information provided by Washington County Sheriff's Office. 

GeorgiaCrime and Public SafetyNews