Louisiana Inmates Accused Of Turning Bible Pages Into Cigarettes

Eleven inmates at the Evangeline Parish Jail are facing additional felony charges after authorities say they used pages torn from Bibles to make cigarettes, soaked them with chemicals and found an improvised way to light them inside the jail.

The Evangeline Parish Sheriff's Office said the unusual discovery followed suspicious activity inside one of the jail's dormitories late September 18 and into the early morning hours of September 19.

According to the sheriff's office, inmates were observed repeatedly entering a dorm restroom. Deputies said some appeared to be stumbling as they came out, prompting staff to contact the warden and investigate.

When deputies entered the dormitory, authorities said they noticed the smell of burned paper.

Deputies Say Bible Pages Were Rolled Into Cigarettes

A search reportedly uncovered pieces of Bible paper that had been rolled into cigarettes and appeared to have been soaked in cleaning chemicals and other substances.

Investigators say the inmates also managed to create a makeshift way to produce a flame.

According to EPSO, the inmates allegedly used two batteries, a magnet, a metal plate and a staple to ignite the paper before smoking it.

The sheriff's office said 11 inmates were arrested in connection with the investigation:

• Tyrel Guillory
• Robert Gallow
• Atravion Charles
• Templeton Guillory
• Skaundrey Herbert
• Derrick Holcomb
• Haiden King
• Kochanski Ardoin
• Kamryn McClay
• DeQuandre Soileau
• Mario Wilson

The spellings above reflect the names listed in the sheriff's office's official release.

Inmates Face Multiple Felony Charges

According to the Evangeline Parish Sheriff's Office, each inmate faces felony charges related to possession of contraband in a penal facility, fire raising in a correctional facility and the distribution or possession of synthetic cannabinoids. The sheriff's official release lists two separate counts under Louisiana's fire-raising statute for each inmate.

Sheriff Charles Guillory told Acadiana News First that the alleged use of Bible pages was particularly upsetting because the inmates had been attending ministry classes at the jail.

"It seems disheartening that they're going to use the Lord's book," Guillory said, questioning whether inmates were attending the classes in part to gain access to the paper.

The Evangeline Parish Sheriff's Office says the investigation remains active and ongoing.

As with all criminal cases, the inmates are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in court.