A Mercer County Jail inmate had charges held to court last week for allegedly selling crack cocaine in the jail after going on a furlough to visit his hospitalized mother.

Pierre McKinney, 19, had charges of possession and possession with intent to deliver crack cocaine, and having contraband in jail held by District Judge Lorinda L. Hinch, Mercer.

On Sept. 11 this year, McKinney was granted a furlough to visit his mother, who was in critical condition in a hospital. Four days later, a jail guard received a note from another inmate saying that McKinney had brought crack cocaine back from his furlough, sheriff’s deputies said.

Guards found a package hidden in the bed post of McKinney’s cell, built out of the fingertip of a latex glove and plastic wrap. It held 11 “rocks” of crack cocaine.

McKinney, who tested positive for cocaine in his blood stream, told guards that the crack belonged to his former cell mate.

He said that cell mate, who has since been released, gave him some crack for free when he came back from his furlough because he was upset over the condition of his mother, deputies said.

Guards interviewed the inmate who tipped them off, and he said McKinney told him upon returning from furlough that he “had the works.” Asked what he meant, he replied “hard,” which the inmate took to mean crack cocaine, deputies said.

The inmate told deputies that McKinney tried to trade the crack for tobacco products and commissary items.

A field test confirmed the crack rock had cocaine in it, deputies said.