Crime
Three sentenced after pleading guilty to role in largest employee drug bust in Bristol County jail history
An investigation into the largest employee drug bust in Bristol County jail history has so far netted three convictions, court rcords show.
Ginger Hook, Bestlee Vazquez, and Axel Hazard have all pled guilty.
On March 13th, Vazquez was sentenced to three years in State Prison after pleading guilty to Conspiracy.
On Tuesday, Hazard received two years of probation on a Conspiracy charge.
Hook, who resigned as the Bristol County Sheriff’s Office librarian after 18 months when confronted about her alleged activity, was sentenced last Tuesday to 2 years of probation on Conspiracy and Delivering Drugs to a Prisoner charges.
The Sheriff’s Office Special Investigations Unit began an investigation in March 2025 into a drug distribution ring that was responsible for the introduction of synthetic marijuana (commonly referred to as K-2 or ‘spice’), being smuggled into the facility.
The investigation revealed that inmate Joseph Housley of Rehoboth was allegedly responsible for selling thousands of dollars worth of K-2 to other inmates on a regular basis and had enlisted the help of two former inmates and another associate on the outside to assist with the drug operation. Investigators determined the identities of those men to be Brandin Barbosa-Mayo of New Bedford, Vasquez of Somerset, and Hazard of Rhode Island.
After several months into the investigation, investigators determined that Housley had also allegedly enlisted the help of a Sheriff’s Office employee to bring the contraband into the facility, SIU identified that employee as Hook of New Bedford. Intelligence gathered showed that Hook had allegedly smuggled in “K-2”paperwork into the jail on prior occasions, once in late 2024 and again in February and March of 2025.
Investigators learned that Hook was allegedly going to make another delivery of 13 pages of “K-2” to Housley in early June of 2025. Upon setting up surveillance on Hook in the early morning of June 9th, investigators observed her 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.
Upon searching the folder Hook had on her desk, investigators found 13 sheets of papers disguised as “Legal Work”, which they were able to test and found to be infused with alleged synthetic marijuana. The value of the 13 sheets of “K-2” papers was estimated to be worth approximately $65,000 when sold inside the jail.
Brandin Mayo has a change of plea hearing scheduled for May 27th.
Housley has a lobby conference set for May 12th.
The investigation was led by Captain Christine Fortin, and she was assisted by other members of the 10 person Special Investigation Unit, which is responsible for all inmate related investigations at the Bristol County Sheriff’s Office. The Massachusetts State Police Detective Unit assigned to the Bristol County District’s Attorney’s Office, as well as the New Bedford Regional Office of the Drug Enforcement Administration also provided assistance with the investigation. The case is being prosecuted by Special Assistant District Attorney Dan Bennett.
