OPELOUSAS (AP) — An Opelousas Police sergeant has been arrested, accused of distributing prescription pain medications to inmates in the city jail.

Louisiana State Police, with help from the Opelousas Police Department, Friday arrested 51-year-old Sgt. Kenneth Edwards on two counts each of distribution of narcotics, doctor shopping and introduction of contraband into a penal institution.

State police began investigating a complaint from Chief Perry Gallow about Edwards last October. State police say detectives determined that Edwards obtained the same type of pain medication from different area doctors then allegedly brought the narcotics into the jail and distributed them to inmates on at least two different occasions.

Edwards was booked into the St. Landry Parish jail. It was not immediately known whether bond had been set.

Patricia Ann Guidry