A Grand Valley man who allegedly tried to escape from the Warren County Jail pled not guilty on Thursday.

Jason Lawrence Pattison, Sr., 35, 11729 Rt. 27, Grand Valley, was charged on February 1 by Sheriff Ken Klakamp with escape and criminal attempt – contraband/controlled substance.

He entered the plea before President Judge Maureen Skerda, who advised him that the maximum penalties for the escape charge is seven years in prison and a fine of up to $15,000.

According to the affidavit of probable cause filed with District Justice Glenn Carlson’s office, an off duty corrections officer contacted the jail and said that Pattison “who was on a snow shoveling detail at 333 Hickory Street has taken off from his work detail.”

The affidavit alleges that Warden Jon Collins and Deputy Warden Rusty Barr “located Jason Pattison inside the St. Clair medical building” and took him back into custody.

“After Pattison was returned to the jail Warden Jon Collins stated that the jail had received intelligence that Pattison was going to send a letter out with work release inmate Cody Cox,” the affidavit explains. Jail officials found the letter on Cox, addressed to Pattison’s paramour.

“In the letter (Pattison asks) his paramour to get him five fentanyl patche(s) and 20 pills believed to be hydrocordone pills,” the affidavit states. “Instructions were given on where Cody Cox worked along, with Cox’s work schedule and what he would be wearing. Pattison gave instructions to wait until Cox had left his worksite and then approach him and give Cox the fentanyl patches and pills and Cox would bring them into the jail.”

Klakamp interviewed Cox, who said he was approached by Pattison and asked to carry the letter.

“Cox also stated that he knew after he mailed the letter he could be contacted by someone with the fentanyl patches and pills to bring in,” the affidavit says. “Cox was asked what (he) was going to gain by doing this and he replied a couple bags of coffee.”

Cox told Klakamp that “Pattison told him that once he got the items in, he (Pattison) was going to sell some of the pills on the cellblock but keep most of the items for himself.”

Pattison was shoveling show in front of the jail when Cox told Pattison as he was leaving on work release that jail officials found the letter.

Online court records show that Pattison remains in the county jail on $50,000 bail.