Trustee charged with attempted contraband trafficking

Saline County Sheriff's Deputies have brought a new charge against a jail trustee accused of possessing contraband while on a work detail Tuesday.

While performing clean up work at a not-for-profit organization, Correctional Officer Greg Griffin noted in a trash can there were baggies containing what appeared to be tobacco and/or cannabis. Believing these could be contraband, Griffin left them where they were.

Patrick Rubenstein, 32, Eldorado, went inside to clean the restroom and Griffin noted the baggies were gone when Rubenstein exited, according to the report.

Confronted with the charge, Rubenstein initially denied having taken the baggies, but told he would be taken to Harrisburg Medical Center for an X-Ray, he admitted taking the baggies and said they were in his rectum, according to the report.

Rubenstein said he had intended to sell some of the contraband once back at the jail for money to put on his commissary to buy phone cards.

Officers took Rubenstein to HMC where the baggies were expelled. There were four baggies containing a total of 10 grams of suspected cannabis and two baggies containing a total of 10 grams of tobacco.

Rubenstein was charged with attempting to bring contraband into a penal institution.

He was initially jailed 4 a.m. Dec. 5, 2013, on charges of criminal trespass to an occupied residence, criminal damage, battery, resisting arrest and obstruction of justice.