Tacoma lawyer charged with 'keistering' hash oil into jail for inmate to sell

TACOMA – A Tacoma attorney has been charged with smuggling hash oil in his rectum so that an inmate at Pierce County Jail could both use and sell it.

William Stoddard Jr. is accused of bringing drugs to an inmate on Feb. 3. The inmate wasn’t his client.

The News Tribune reports Stoddard  pleaded not guilty Wednesday to charges of introducing contraband, unlawfully delivering a controlled substance and conspiracy to deliver a controlled substance.

“It appears the suspects were 'keistering' the drugs to get them into the jail and then possibly then sharing them with other inmates,” said Pierce County Det. Ed Troyer.

Pierce County prosecutors said Stoddard visited the inmate 19 times over the course of about a year. The inmate said the two would engage in sexual conduct, and that Stoddard would put money toward the inmate’s books and phone.

Prosecutors said Stoddard also brought in hash oil and a lighter, which the inmate would distribute.

“It not only breaks the law it undermines trust in the legal process,” said Pierce County sheriff Paul Pastor. “This applies to attorneys, law enforcement officers and others who abuse their positions of trust.”

The 68-year-old's bail was set at $7,500 and his privileges to visit the jail as a lawyer have been suspended.