Copyright MassLive
A Massachusetts jail librarian has been accused of disguising drugs as legal paperwork to smuggle K-2 inside of the Dartmouth jail. Ginger Hook, 46, of New Bedford, was indicted on Oct. 20, along with inmate Joseph Housley, 25, of Rehoboth, Brandin Barbosa-Mayo, 31, of New Bedford, Bestlee Vasquez, 33, of Somerset, and Axel Hazard, 23, of Rhode Island. Officials began investigating a drug distribution ring that was responsible for bringing synthetic marijuana, commonly referred to as K-2 or “spice,“ into Bristol County Jail and House of Correction in March. After several months of the investigation, investigators said that Housley had enlisted the help of a Sheriff’s Office employee to bring the contraband into the facility. Officials claim that intelligence gathered showed that Hook had smuggled in “K-2” as paperwork into the jail on prior occasions, once in late 2024 and again in February and March of 2025. Hook was employed by the Bristol County Sheriff’s Office as the Coordinator of Library Services at the Dartmouth Jail for about 18 months prior to resigning from her position in July after she was confronted about her involvement. K-2 can come in liquid form that is then sprayed onto documents, such as religious pamphlets, legal paperwork, children’s drawings and letters, the Boston Globe reported. The paper is dried and can be divided into doses of 1-inch squares, which can be sold for thousands of dollars. The paper can either be smoked by lighting it or chewing it, the newspaper reported. Hook had planned to make another delivery of 13 pages of “K-2” to Housley in early June, officials said. On June 9, investigators saw Hook entering the jail and attempting to conceal paperwork in a folder that she brought into her office from outside of the secure perimeter of the jail. Investigators found 13 sheets of paper on her desk that tested positive for synthetic marijuana, which would be worth about $65,000 when sold inside the jail, officials said. Sheriff Paul Heroux thinks it is the largest employee drug bust in Bristol County jail history. “I have stepped up efforts to keep drugs out of the jail, including seeking prosecution, increasing the number of drug detection dogs in the K9 unit, and better screening of individuals coming into the jail,” said Heroux. “Illicit drugs in a correctional setting create many health and safety problems for staff and inmates. Keeping illicit drugs out of jails and prisons is a problem in every correctional facility in the country.”
