Holy smokes: Alabama man jailed for passing out cigarettes to inmates

Credit: Gerd Altmann/Pixabay

Credit: Gerd Altmann/Pixabay

An Alabama man thought it would be appropriate to hand out free cigarettes to inmates doing road work on the Fourth of July. Cherokee County authorities thought differently and put the 39-year-old man in jail, AL.com reported.

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According to authorities, Michael G. Brown was driving along a Cherokee County highway in eastern Alabama when he spotted detention center inmates putting up American flags for the Avenue of Flags, AL.com reported.

As he drove by, Brown tossed cigarettes to the inmates, Cherokee County Sheriff Jeff Shaver said.

Brown was pulled over by Sheriff's Cpl. Nick Vaughn, who determined the tobacco gift-giver was driving while intoxicated, AL.com reported.

“He said, ‘I know they can’t have tobacco in the jail, but it is the Fourth of July,’’’ Shaver said. “Apparently he thought it would be a good idea.”

Brown was booked on charges of third-degree promoting prison contraband and DUI, AL.com reported.

“We do everything we can to keep contraband out of the jail,’’ Shaver told the website. “We don’t need the public throwing it to them.”

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