GED TEACHER ARRESTED FOR TRAFFICKING CONTROLLED SUBSTANCES AT JAIL
AUGUST 13, 2026 – written by WADE QUEEN
FROM TEACHING INMATES EDUCATION AT THE JAIL TO BECOMING AN INMATE AT THE SAME JAIL: CRYSTAL LEE HAZLETT, 45, OF INEZ, KENTUCKY. (TOP PHOTO: BIG SANDY REGIONAL DETENTION CENTER MUGSHOT FROM AUGUST 6, 2026).
A Martin County, Kentucky woman who taught GED classes at the Greenup County Detention Center in Greenup, KY., is accused of using a classroom book to pass inmates a Mother’s Day card containing 19 Suboxone strips, according to a criminal complaint filed in Greenup County District Court.
Crystal Lee Hazlett, 45, of Bill Hammond Road, of Inez, KY., was arrested Thursday, August 6, in Inez by Martin County Sheriff Deputy J.C. Kirk. The charges against Crystal Hazlett were:
*PROMOTING CONTRABAND – FIRST DEGREE; and
* TRAFFICKING IN CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE, 2ND DEGREE, 1ST OFFENSE – (< 20 D.U. DRUG UNSPECIFIED SCHEDULE 3).
Each of the two criminal charges are Class D Felonies punishable by one (1) to five (5) years in state prison.
Crystal Hazlett was a contracted GED instructor at the Greenup County Detention Center at the time of the alleged incident.
A criminal complaint sworn by Greenup County Detention Center Lieutenant Elizabeth Lucas alleges the exchange occurred shortly the afternoon of Monday, August 3 during a GED class inside the jail.
Lieutenant Lucas reported seeing a pink piece of paper tucked into the waistband of an inmate’s pants and reviewed surveillance footage to determine where it came from.
According to the criminal complaint, the video showed Crystal Hazlett entering Room 121 carrying a red book before inmates arrived for their scheduled class. As Crystal Hazlett flipped through the book, a pink card could be seen between its pages, Lieutenant Lucas stated.
One inmate then picked up the book, opened it slightly and allowed the card to fall into his lap before concealing it in his waistband, the criminal complaint states.
The inmates later moved to the detention center library to continue instruction. At approximately 2:53 P.M., Lieutenant Lucas allegedly saw an inmate pass an object beneath a table to another inmate.
Lieutenant Lucas ordered Deputy Jailer Grizzle to conduct strip searches of the four inmates who had attended the class.
According to the criminal complaint, the search turned up a pink Mother’s Day card containing 19 Suboxone strips wrapped in clear plastic and tape.
The criminal complaint alleges Crystal Hazlett knowingly introduced dangerous contraband into the detention center and knowingly and unlawfully distributed the Suboxone to inmates.
Greenup County Jailer Larry Pancake said the discovery resulted from the work of detention center employees.
“We have a zero-tolerance policy for anyone who compromises the safety of our facility,” Pancake said. “Thanks to the diligent work of Lieutenant Lucas, detention center Chief Robert Senters, and the jail staff, we were able to quickly intercept those illicit substances and protect both our staff and the inmate population.”
Crystal Hazlett was immediately terminated from her position following her arrest.
Officials said the investigation began after the jail received information that prohibited substances were being brought into the facility and investigators determined Crystal Hazlett allegedly used her access as an instructor to bypass normal security screening.
After Crystal Hazlett’s arrest and transport to be lodged in the Big Sandy Regional Detention Center in Paintsville, KY., in Johnson County; on Friday, August 7, she was transported to and lodged in the very same Greenup County Detention Center in Greeenup, KY. where she was an employee.
As of Thursday, August 13, Crystal Hazlett remains in the GCDC jail, where she currently being held on a $100,000 full cash bond.
The only other alleged criminal history resulting in an arrest of Crystal Lee Hazlett, was on August 30, 2023 in Martin County, on the misdemeanor charge of
*ASSAULT, 4TH DEGREE (CHILD ABUSE).
