Two Charlotte men were arrested this morning for dropping off contraband on the grounds of Roanoke River Correctional Institution in Tillery.

The contraband, according to Captain Scott Hall of the Halifax County Sheriff’s Office, included electronics and tobacco.

Eric Dean Combs Jr. and Quadarrius LaShun Willoughby had driven onto the property around 4:30 this morning.

Deputies responded to the prison to assist staff in locating a vehicle that had entered prison property. The driver turned off the vehicle’s lights and drove to the rear of the prison.

Deputies learned the men fled on foot across the field near the minimum-security unit. 

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Prison staff and deputies located the 24-year-old Combs and the 26-year-old Willoughby.

Through the combined investigative efforts of deputies of D Squad, detectives and prison staff, multiple items such as loose tobacco, cell phones and other items of contraband were located that the pair had placed on the property. 

The investigation also revealed that Combs was a previous inmate of Roanoke River and had recently been released from custody after serving a three-year sentence. 

Combs, who remains on active probation/parole, was in possession of a firearm that he attempted to discard before his arrest. 

Combs was charged with felony providing contraband to an inmate, felony providing phone/electronics to an inmate, felony conspiracy, felon in possession of a firearm, first-degree trespassing and misdemeanor providing tobacco to an inmate. 

Combs was placed in the Halifax County Detention Center under a $75,000 secured bond with a court date of March 28. 

Willoughby was charged with felony providing contraband to an inmate, felony providing phone/electronics to an inmate, felony conspiracy, first-degree trespass and misdemeanor providing tobacco to an inmate. 

Willoughby was placed in the Halifax County Detention Center without the opportunity for bond due to pending felony charges in another county. He has the same court date as Combs.