Lauren Stanforth reports in The Albany Times-Union that an Albany County Jail sergeant and 12 co-conspirators allegedly sneaking contraband into the jail were arrested Nov. 5. Now Albany County Sheriff Craig Apple Sr. said he wants to increase searches of employees and visitors to the Albany County jail. Jail employee Merlin Thomas Jr., 48, of Albany took payments of $200 for multiple deliveries of tobacco, cellphones, marijuana, and homemade knives to inmates. Thomas worked at the jail for 18 years, and was arrested Nov. 5 arriving at the jail with packages of tobacco in the cargo pockets of his pants, and with more tobacco, marijuana, and rolling papers in his car. Read the full story in The Albany Times-Union.