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Kiss leads to drug smuggling find at Putnamville

Friday, October 30, 2026 at 10:07 AM

By Paul Gable

An individual behind bars found himself in deeper trouble recently, as he and a visitor were caught smuggling drugs through a kiss.

According to court documents, Wendy Sowers has been booked on dealing in a Schedule III controlled substance in a penal or juvenile facility; trafficking with an inmate where the article trafficked is a controlled substance; and possession of a controlled substance in a penal or juvenile facility. 

Mattew Gilbert was charged with conspiracy to commit dealing in a Schedule III controlled substance in a penal or juvenile facility; conspiracy to commit trafficking with an inmate where the article trafficked is a controlled substance and possession of a controlled substance in a penal or juvenile facility.

According to police, Gilbert, who is incarcerated at the Putnamville Correctional Facility, spoke with Sowers during a recorded phone conversation. He told Sowers he needed her to do something that they could not discuss on the phone. The two then referred to Suboxone pills Sowers had acquired as "Janice." 

Earlier this month, Sowers visited the facility, where Sowers and Gilbert exchanged a kiss before Gilbert removed an object from his mouth and put it in his pants. Staff cut the visit short citing "odd behavior," and took Gilbert to the Putnam County Hospital, where it was found he had 1.6 grams of Suboxone wrapped in pieces of a medical glove in his body. 

Sowers admitted to investigators that she gave Gilbert three Suboxone pills via a kiss. 

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