Man arrested after entering restricted area of Wayne County Jail with drugs: Police

RICHMOND — A man was detained by Wayne County Jail staff after he locked himself into a restricted secured area during the release of two inmates Saturday, officials say.

Wayne County Sheriff's deputies responded to the jail after receiving a call that a man had made his way into a vestibule and was acting erratically, according to a news release from the Wayne County Sheriff's Department.

By the time they arrived, the 29-year-old man was in custody.

Deputies discovered that shortly after the man entered the vestibule, he began to smoke an unknown substance and knelt down, appearing to pray. He was later detained and searched because he was in a restricted area.

Jail staff found a plastic baggie of suspected marijuana, leading to the man being placed under arrest on suspicion of criminal trespass and public intoxication.

"Because of multiple layers of security, a breach of the jail was not a concern. But, our agency does wonder why (the suspect) was so eager to enter the restricted area of the jail," the Sheriff's Department said in a statement. "We strongly discourage anyone from entering a restricted area or violating the law just to visit our facility."

The man had not been criminally charged as of late Monday. WRTV does not name suspects until they are formally charged.