An Allegheny County corrections worker has been charged for allegedly selling drugs to incarcerated individuals at the county jail.
Lewis Bagnato, 32, was arrested Thursday following an Internal Affairs investigation that concluded the corrections officer was delivering the synthetic drug K2 to inmates for distribution, then demanding proceeds from the sales.
According to a press release announcing the arrest, staff in the jail’s Discharge and Release Center contacted Internal Affairs with correspondence from an inmate claiming they had information on K2 at the facility. Following an interview with that informant, Internal Affairs investigators contacted additional witnesses and learned that Bagnato was allegedly bringing contraband into the facility for those incarcerated there.
County police said payments to Bagnato were made through a third party using a mobile app to allow for the electronic transfer of payment or through in-person delivery.
Bagnato, who has worked at the Allegheny County jail since December 2019, was taken into custody Thursday morning when he reported to the facility for his shift.
