FARGO-A Cass County Jail worker sorting through an inmate's laundry found a toothbrush that had been sharpened into a shiv, according to court papers filed Thursday.
Jose Alonso Chavez-Gardea, 21, was charged with possession of contraband by an inmate, a felony with a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $20,000 fine.
The sharpened toothbrush, found April 18, was attached to a broken pencil using clothing material, for a total length of 6 ¼ inches, court papers stated. Chavez-Gardea told investigators he made the weapon, court papers said.
He was initially jailed April 17 on felony charges of terrorizing and possessing drug paraphernalia. He remained in jail Friday, with a bail amount of $20,000.
Chavez-Gardea's public defender, Laura Reynolds, had not yet reviewed his case, and she declined to comment Friday.
