Lawton man accused of bringing drugs behind bars

Already in the Comanche County Detention Center on drug dealing allegations, a Lawton man has new drug charges from behind bars.

James Lee Simpson, 31, of Lawton, made his initial appearance Friday in Comanche County District Court for felony charges of conspiracy to bring drugs into jail and possession of drugs by an inmate.

A May 10 search of Simpson’s pod at the Comanche County Detention Center turned up two cell phones, cigarettes, an amount of methamphetamine and synthetic marijuana in a mobile bunk under a table in the common space, the probable cause affidavit states. Investigators had received a tip another inmate was trying to get a “package” into the facility, Lt. David Weber stated.

Investigators said the package had been picked up at the Midtown Health Center, Northwest 12th Street and Arlington Avenue, by Simpson while at an appointment. When he returned, jail security video showed him enter the bathroom before returning and removing items from his jumpsuit and handing them to the other inmate, the affidavit states.

Simpson has been in the detention center on $100,000 bond since September 2021 when he was charged with a felony allegation of possession of a controlled drug with the intent to distribute, as well as misdemeanor allegations of possession of a controlled dangerous substance and obstructing an officer, records indicate.

Simpson was pulled over on a traffic stop and police reported seeing the driver, a woman and Simpson moving around in the front seat. The officer said Simpson provided another name when asked for identification.

A K9 officer was brought to the vehicle to conduct an open-air sniff for narcotics and made a positive alert, the affidavit states. Simpson was taken to a police unit and the woman was seen adjusting the waistband of her pants.

Police found a black container in the backseat with marijuana inside. According to the affidavit, Simpson said he had a medical marijuana card but didn’t provide it.

The woman told investigators Simpson had just sold some pills to someone at an apartment complex shortly before the traffic stop. As they were being pulled over, she said he told her to put the baggie of pills inside herself.

The pills contained 7.82 grams of Fentanyl in 64 Roxy M-30 pills as well as 65 grams of marijuana was recovered, according to the affidavit.

Simpson is scheduled to go to trial during the September/October jury trial docket.

Simpson has a prior felony conviction in Oklahoma County from April 2012 for second-degree burglary, as well as Comanche County convictions: November 2010, second-degree burglary; April 2013 for attempted first-degree burglary; and from September 2014, two counts of second-degree burglary, records indicate.

Simpson received another $30,000 bond for the latest charges.