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Former downtown St. Louis jail escapee charged with having cell phones

Vernon Collins.
(St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department)
Vernon Collins.

Vernon Collins, one of the two inmates who escaped from the downtown St. Louis Justice Center in April, and were later captured, has been charged again. This time, from his jail cell.

Aprobable cause statement released by the City of St. Louis Circuit Attorney's office states that Collins was found to have two cell phones in his possession after a shakedown of his jail cell. Possession of cell phones by inmates, the Circuit Attorney's website points out, is illegal.

Corrections officers also found two cigarette lighters, various pills, and wires in Collins' cell during the shakedown, according to the statement.

The statement lists the charges filed against Collins as two misdemeanor counts of Delivery Or Possession Of Item At A County Or Private Jail Which Prisoner Is Prohibited From Receiving.