Rearrested: Former MCSO detention officer tracked down after reportedly missing court dates

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MARICOPA COUNTY, Ariz. - A former Maricopa County Sheriff's Office detention officer who reportedly tried to bring drugs into jail has been rearrested on March 10, authorities say.

27-year-old Andres Salazar was arrested back on Jan. 11 just before Maricopa County Sheriff Paul Penzone held a press conference regarding the investigation.

Penzone says money was exchanged in the parking lot of the jail before Salazar attempted to bring it in. He adds this was likely the officer's first time trying this.

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Andres Salazar

Salazar reportedly tried to bring in about a hundred pills inside a package.

"This was an ongoing investigation. This detention officer was hired in October 2019. Recently worked with inmates and some folks on the outside and attempted to bring fentanyl and methamphetamine into the jail. We have strong reason to believe this was his first attempt," the sheriff said previously.

Since then, MCSO says Salazar didn't make it to two court dates – resulting in two arrest warrants. One for theft with a $25,000 bond and the other is for two counts of promoting prison contraband, sale/transportation of dangerous drugs, and sale/transportation of narcotic drugs with a $100,000 bond.

Maricopa County detention officer tried to bring meth, fentanyl into jail: sheriff

Maricopa County Sheriff Paul Penzone says a detention officer was arrested for attempting to bring meth and fentanyl into the Lower Buckeye Jail.

Maricopa County detention officer arrested, accused of drug-related offenses

The detention officer was busted by his own agency, and he is accused of trying to smuggle drugs into the Lower Buckeye Jail. FOX 10's Nicole Garcia reports.