Linda Bryant

KOSCIUSKO — A Silver Lake woman was sentenced in Kosciusko Circuit Court Monday, Jan. 14, after she trafficked a cell phone, pills and marijuana to an inmate at the Kosciusko County Jail.

Linda Sue Bryant, 46, 106 N. High St., Silver Lake, was charged with two counts of trafficking with an inmate outside of a facility, level 5 felonies; dealing in a controlled substance, a level 6 felony; possession of a controlled substance, a class A misdemeanor; and possession of marijuana, a class B misdemeanor.

On June 12, 2018, a Kosciusko County Court security officer escorted a male inmate, identified as Nicholas Silva, to Superior Court 3 for a hearing. The officer observed a courtroom visitor, identified as Bryant, throw an object to Silva, who was sitting in the jury box.

According to the affidavit of probable cause, the officer went to the jury box and retrieved a plastic bag containing a cell phone, a cell phone charger, marijuana and 10 pills identified as Alprazolam, a schedule IV controlled substance.

Bryant admitted she brought the items into the jail for her son, Donald Bryant. Officer obtained copies of a phone call made from the jail by Donald Bryant on June 11. In the phone call, Donald instructed his mother to toss the items to Silva, who was supposed to deliver the items to Donald.

Defense attorney Doug Lemon told the court that Bryant has no prior criminal history.

“I’m sorry,” said Bryant. “I’ve never been in trouble my entire life and I made a very stupid decision. I regret it every day of my life.”

Judge Michael Reed sentenced Bryant to a total of eight years and 180 days in the Kosciusko County Jail. A year and a half of the sentence will be served through work release or community corrections, with another year and a half suspended on formal probation.