Sending Mail to Someone at Lea County Correctional Facility: The New Smart Communications Tablet System
Mail at Lea County Correctional Facility works differently now. NMCD has switched to a Smart Communications tablet system—your letters get digitized and delivered to your loved one's tablet instead of arriving as physical paper. Here's what you need to know about addresses, timing, and what might get rejected.
New Mexico Corrections Department (NMCD) rolled out Smart Communications tablets starting July 1, 2024. Instead of physical letters, your mail gets digitally uploaded and delivered to your loved one's tablet. The biggest change for families? What you send won't arrive as paper in hand anymore - it shows up on the tablet after processing.
Digital delivery doesn't mean less security screening. Staff can still open and inspect mail for contraband under NMCD policy, and they'll intercept any cash, checks, or money orders that show up in letters.
If your loved one is at Lea County Correctional Facility (LCCF), expect a new mailing address for tablet-based mail. NMCD says families will receive the updated address before the system launches at each location - so watch for official instructions before sending anything.
Even digitized mail doesn't move instantly. Under NMCD policy, incoming and outgoing letters are held for no more than 48 hours, and packages (if allowed) for no more than 72 hours. Weekends, holidays, and emergencies don't count toward those timeframes, so expect delays around those periods.
Worried about sending too much? Volume usually isn't the issue. When the inmate covers mailing costs, there's no limit on how many letters they can send or receive - unless the facility determines a limit is needed for safety or security reasons.
Content Rules
- ✓ Publications containing instruction on the manufacture of drugs
- ✓ Publications containing instruction on making tattoos
- ✓ Publications containing instruction on making weapons
- ✓ Publications containing instruction on making explosives
All mail and packages - incoming and outgoing - can be opened and inspected for contraband. Staff will intercept cash, checks, or money orders. For outgoing letters, your loved one should know that non-legal correspondence gets deposited unsealed in facility mail boxes. NMCD also requires outgoing mail to show the sender's name, number, and housing assignment in English.
Practical Steps
- ✓ Wait for the official new mailing address for LCCF before sending mail under the tablet system.
- ✓ Build in processing time: letters can be held up to 48 hours and packages (if allowed) up to 72 hours, not counting weekends, holidays, or emergencies.
- ✓ Keep content clean and straightforward so it’s less likely to be rejected under NMCD correspondence rules.
Note: Publications that include instructions for making drugs, tattoos, weapons, or explosives can be rejected, so avoid sending anything that falls into those categories.
If something doesn't arrive or gets refused, it's likely tied to standard screening rules - mail can be inspected for contraband, and cash, checks, or money orders get intercepted. Your loved one should receive notice when incoming or outgoing letters are rejected, so they'll know if something was turned away.
- Start with the facility’s mailroom - ask about delivery delays, returned items, or whether something was rejected during processing.
- Escalate through the inmate advocate if you’re stuck - Lea County Correctional Facility’s inmate advocate is Moriama Valeriano at (575) 392-4055.
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