Former employee at Dartmouth jail indicted in alleged drug smuggling scheme

A former employee at the Bristol County jail in Dartmouth was indicted as part of an alleged drug smuggling scheme at the Bristol County Jail and House of Correction. Ginger Hook, 46, of New Bedford, resigned from her position at the jail in July “when confronted about her alleged activity” Bristol County Sheriff Paul Heroux said. She worked there for 18 months. Four associates were also indicted: Joseph Housley, 25, of Rehoboth, Brandin Barbosa-Mayo, 31, of New Bedford, Bestlee Vasquez, 33, of Somerset, and Axel Hazard, 23, of Rhode Island. An investigation by the sheriff’s office began in March of this year “into a drug distribution ring that was responsible for the introduction of synthetic marijuana (commonly referred to as K-2 or ‘spice’), being smuggled into the facility,” officials said. Investigators said Housley, an inmate at the jail, was allegedly selling thousands of dollars worth of the drug to fellow inmates with the assistance of Barbosa-Mayo, Vasquez, and Hazard. “After several months of the investigation, investigators determined that inmate Housley had also allegedly enlisted the help of a Sheriff’s Office employee to bring the contraband into the facility, SIU identified that employee as Mrs. Hook,” the sheriff’s office said. “Intelligence gathered showed that Mrs. Hook had allegedly smuggled in “K-2” paperwork into the jail on prior occasions, once in late 2024 and again in February and March of 2025.” Investigators said they learned Hook was going to allegedly make another delivery to Housley in early June, and on June 9 via surveillance they “observed Mrs. Hook entering the jail and attempting to conceal paperwork in a folder that she brought into her office from outside of the secure perimeter of the jail.” The 13 sheets of paper, officials said, were disguised as “legal work”; after testing the paper, investigators “found to be infused with alleged synthetic marijuana”. The estimated worth of the papers inside the jail was approximately $65,000, according to officials.