A corrections employee at Green Hill School in Chehalis was arrested Wednesday for allegedly selling meth and other contraband to an inmate on June 15.
Green Hill School reported the incident to the Chehalis Police Department on June 24 after staff reviewed security footage of Eddie Antonio Zavala, 37, of Winlock, taking something out of his pocket and giving it to an inmate, according to charging documents filed in Lewis County Superior Court on Thursday.
When staff searched the inmate’s room on June 18, they found lighters, used tin foil, a substance that field-tested as meth and a ledger including Zavala’s home address, according to court documents.
A Chehalis police detective contacted Zavala at his home on July 31. When questioned, Zavala allegedly “admitted that he would bring things in for (an inmate)” and allegedly “stated he would bring things into the facility and the inmates would send him money via Cashapp.”
Detectives have confirmed that a Green Hill inmate recently transferred $400 to Zavala’s account via Cashapp, according to court documents.
When asked “why he took items into Green Hill,” Zavala allegedly “stated he was ‘struggling’ financially.”
Zavala was arrested and booked into the Lewis County Jail at 11:30 a.m. on Wednesday, July 31, according to jail records. He has since been charged with one count each of possession of a controlled substance in a state or county correctional facility by a non-prisoner and second-degree introducing contraband. Each charge is a class C felony punishable by up to 5 years in prison.
Zavala was released on $15,000 unsecured bail on Thursday, Aug. 1 following his preliminary hearing in Lewis County Superior Court. Arraignment is scheduled for Thursday, Aug. 8.
Zavala is the fourth Green Hill School corrections employee who has been fired and arrested this year for alleged felony offenses at the Chehalis facility.
Angel M. Misner, 32, of Ethel, was charged July 25 with first-degree custodial misconduct, second-degree custodial misconduct and witness tampering for allegedly having an inappropriate relationship with a former inmate, providing the inmate with contraband and speaking to a person of interest about the case after her arrest. Her bail is set at $500,000 and arraignment is scheduled for Aug. 8.
Michelle M. Goodman, 30, of Centralia was initially charged on March 12 with one count each of prison riot, abuse of office and fourth-degree conspiracy to commit assault. Amended charges were filed on April 19 after the court obtained more information about the injuries the victim sustained in the attack, according to court documents.
She was arrested March 11 and was released on $20,000 unsecured bail the next day. Her trial is scheduled to begin Oct. 28.
Aaron D. Snideman, 42, of Centralia, was arrested on Jan. 19 for allegedly bringing marijuana into the facility earlier that month. He has since pleaded not guilty to a possession of a controlled substance in a correctional facility by a non-prisoner charge and is out of custody on $5,000 bail. His case is scheduled to go to trial on Aug. 26.
