By Josh Margolis
HAVRE, Mont. (NMB) – A Havre man pleaded not guilty in Hill County District Court on Monday to felony possession of a deadly weapon by a prisoner after allegedly making a weapon in the county jail.
Zakery Dale Jones, born in 1986, pleaded not guilty on Monday. An affidavit filed in the case states that at 1 PM May 26th 2020, Officers conducted a search of Jones and fellow inmate Bruce McLain’s cell in the Hill County Detention Center.
During the search, an Officer found the handle of an inmate spork utensil had been broken off. The remaining piece was 3.25″ long and was found near Jones’ issued property. Broken sporks are supposed to be reported to an Officer, but this one was not.
Chief Detention Officer Ishmael Amaro then conducted a mass search of the area and patted down inmates in search of the spork handle.
When Jones was informed of the search, he pulled the broken spork handle from a shirt pocket. Officers found that a sharp piece of metal was wedged into one end of the plastic spork.
The item, which had two sharp points, was approximately 1.75″ long and was declared a “shiv” by a Deputy.
On May 28th, a Deputy interviewed Jones and McLain. McLain told the deputy he had seen the contraband weapon in the cell’s sink between a week and 10 days prior.
Jones told the Deputy he did not make the item, but admitted it was discovered on his person and had used it to tend to the cuticles on his fingernails.
No future court dates have been set in this case, in which Jones’ bond is $25,000.
He has already pleaded guilty to felony forgery and is facing a July 6th sentencing in that case. He is also facing numerous other charges in a separate matter, including two counts of felony possession of dangerous drugs, and was found in violation of the conditions of his release for prior convictions in which he received suspended sentences.
Jones has been in the Hill County Detention Center since May 2nd, 2020.
