KENT COUNTY, Mich: On April 27^th, 2023 investigators were notified of a suspicious piece of mail an area attorney received. A letter was sent to an inmate at the Kent County Jail labeled with the attorney’s name. This inmate was no longer in the jail and the mail was returned to sender. The attorney never sent the mail and contacted the KCSO to investigate possible fraud.

During the course of the investigation, the Kent Area Narcotics Team discovered a suspect was involved in forging mail as if it were from attorneys and using this attorney-client privilege to smuggle narcotics into the jail. On May 9^th, 2023 the narcotics team conducted a search warrant in the 17000 block of Trenton Ave in Cedar Springs. In total, detectives arrested six people during the search for various crimes which were drug and firearm related. 51-year-old Shannon Soltys from Cedar Springs was arrested in connection with creating fraudulent attorney documents.

The case was reviewed by the Kent County Prosecutor’s Office which authorized charges of smuggling of contraband into a correctional facility in addition to drug-related charges.  Soltys was arraigned in the 63^rd District Court. The KCSO is using this information to increase our awareness of tactics used in attempts to exploit the jail’s security and is thankful for an astute attorney. As always, if you see something suspicious, say something.

Contact: Sgt. Eric Brunner | 616.632.6106
eric.brunner@kentcountymi.gov

 

###