A state prison inmate is facing charges after receiving marijuana while on a roadside work crew, according to St. Lucie County Sheriff Mascara.

Deputies say the prisoner was working on a roadside work crew north of Fort Pierce when someone driving a black Dodge Charger tossed him a small amount of marijuana beside the road.

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"We have charged Parell Seay with the felonies of resisting an officer with violence, evidence tampering, and smuggling contraband and the misdemeanor of possession of less than 20 grams of marijuana," Sheriff Mascara said.

Seay was assigned to a Florida Department of Corrections work camp from Martin County when he was working Tuesday morning near North 25th Street and Juanita Avenue.

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Deputies say they approached Seay and ordered him to turn and face a nearby fence. As he did so, he reached into his pocket and took something out. Deputy Trevisol went to restrain Seay who apparently was trying to toss the item away. Instead, it hit the deputy.

Seay said he didn't know who tossed the drugs but said, "It's a D.O.C. thing," meaning that someone previously in state custody tossed the item to someone currently in state custody. He admitted he was going to bring the contraband back to his confinement facility in Martin County.

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