PRESTONSBURG, Ky. — A Prestonsburg man has been arrested as part of an ongoing investigation into a drug smuggling ring at the Floyd County Detention Center.

Prestonsburg Police Det. Dennis Hutchinson was investigating reports of people smuggling drugs to inmates at the jail and was monitoring one inmate’s phone calls with two other people. During a call Tuesday night, he learned that a drop was about to be made, so he had another officer waiting outside while he continued to monitor the calls.

Just before 10 p.m., the officer spotted Kevin Dwayne Conley, 32, approaching the jail dressed all in black. Plans called for the drugs to be tied to a string leading back to the inmate’s cell, but Conley was stopped as he approached the area.

While detaining Conley for further investigation, the officer spotted a small straw wrapped in electrical tape of the type used to get drugs into the jail on the ground at his feet. The straw was later found to contain fentanyl.

He also found a cellophane wrapper containing an unidentified substance in Conley’s pocket and he placed it on the hood of his police car while he continued his search. When he returned to the car after the search, the wrapper was gone, and Conley allegedly admitted to having swallowed it and telling the officer it contained three Suboxone strips.

Conley was arrested and charged with drug trafficking, engaging in organized crime, tampering with evidence and persistent felony offender. He was also later charged with possession and promoting contraband, when a strip search at the jail turned up more drugs.

The investigation into the smuggling ring is continuing and more charges are pending.