Former Harris County Detention Officer has been sentenced to community supervision for drug smuggling in jail

A former Harris County detention officer accused of smuggling drugs into prison has been sentenced to six years of community supervision after a guilty plea.

Robert Robertson, who was charged with involvement in organized criminal activity, entered a guilty plea and was given deferred adjudication under community supervision in lieu of prison time.

BACKGROUND: 2 indicted for conspiring with detention officer accused of smuggling drugs into prison

The sentence stems from a 2023 investigation in which Robertson was accused of working with inmate Toney Jones, 30, and Jones’ girlfriend, Ashley Sharpe, 33, to smuggle methoxy-dimethyl oxobutane into the Harris County Jail.

Jones was previously charged with engaging in organized criminal activity, while Sharpe was charged with possession of a controlled substance. Court documents show Robertson supplied the drug to Jones, who then distributed it within the facility.

The investigation began after an increase in drug overdoses at the prison led authorities to the smuggling scheme.