Contraband Laws & Penalties You Need to Know Before Visiting ECI
Contraband cases can start with something as simple as bringing the wrong item through the front door. Before visiting Eastern Correctional Institution (ECI), know what Maryland law treats as contraband and how serious the consequences can be.
Maryland law treats contraband in a "place of confinement" as a criminal matter, not just a rule violation. Under Maryland Criminal Law (Sections 9-410 and 9-412 through 9-417), possessing contraband, delivering it, or even having it with intent to deliver inside a place of confinement is unlawful. For visitors, that means thinking beyond obvious weapons and drugs. If you bring, carry, or try to pass along prohibited items, you could face criminal charges.
- ✓ Telecommunication devices (and depositing or concealing them with intent that a detained person obtains them)
- ✓ Items intended to help someone escape
- ✓ Weapons of any type
- ✓ Alcoholic beverages
- ✓ Controlled dangerous substances
- ✓ Tobacco
The state takes contraband possession or attempted delivery seriously. Violations can lead to arrest, and prosecutors can pursue charges to the fullest extent of the law. Even if you only intend to visit, anything that looks like an attempt to bring in contraband puts both your visit and your record at risk.
Penalty snapshot: Upon conviction for delivering contraband, penalties can include 3 to 10 years of imprisonment, fines of $1,000 to $5,000, or both.
Contraband rules come into play the moment you arrive. All visitors to a Maryland correctional facility must clear a metal detector. If you cannot clear it, your visit may be denied. The simplest way to protect your time is to arrive prepared with as little as possible on you, so screening does not become a problem at the door.
- Leave telecommunication devices out of the visit - Telecommunication devices are treated as contraband, and it is also unlawful to deposit or conceal one in or around a place of confinement with the intent that a detained person obtains it.
- Do a quick “contraband check” before you leave home - Make sure you are not carrying tobacco, alcohol, controlled dangerous substances, weapons, or anything that could be viewed as intended to help someone escape.
- Keep your hands clear of “drop-off” behavior - Do not try to stash or hide any telecommunication device anywhere in or about the facility grounds. That kind of conduct is specifically called out as unlawful when done with the intent that a detained person gets it.
Not sure whether something is allowed? Ask before you show up. For in-person visit requests at ECI, email ECI.InmateVisitation@maryland.gov. You can also call Eastern Correctional Institution at 410-845-4000 or write to 30420 Revells Neck Road, Westover, MD 21890 to clarify questions ahead of time.
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