Crossing the Guardline

Drugs Across Guardline

Crossing the Guardline Offense

What is Crossing the Guardline?

The act of crossing of guard lines with weapons, intoxicants, drugs or other types of contraband without consent of a warden or superintendent is a criminal offense in Georgia.

What is the Guardline?

The guardline effectively refers to any point in a correctional facility (detention center, jail, prison, etc.) where a guard is stationed to control entry and departure.

Whether you are a person held in custody, convicted inmate, employee, maintenance contractor, or visitor you are subject to arrest for any breach of facility rules regarding contraband.

Although officers may scan a person with a metal-detector wand, do a pat-down search, or do a strip search the person crossing the guardline has total accountability for anything in their possession.

Georgia Law O.C.G.A. 42-5-15

This law pertains to the act of crossing of guard lines with weapons, intoxicants, or drugs without consent of warden or superintendent.

(a) It shall be unlawful for any person to come inside the guard lines established at any state or county correctional institution with a gun, pistol, or any other weapon or with or under the influence of any intoxicating liquor, amphetamines, biphetamines, or any other hallucinogenic or other drugs, without the knowledge or consent of the warden, superintendent, or his designated representative.

(b) Any person who violates this Code section shall be guilty of a felony and, upon conviction thereof, shall be punished by imprisonment for not less than one year nor more than four years.

Georgia Law O.C.G.A. 49-4A-16

This law pertains to the act of causing the passage or transfer of certain items across guard lines; penalty

(a) As used in this Code section, the term "guard lines" means the lines established pursuant to Code Section 49-4A-15.

(b) It shall be unlawful for any person to cause to be introduced across guard lines or to come inside such guard lines with:

(1) A gun, pistol, knife, or any other weapon or a bullet, ammunition, or explosive device; or

(2) Any intoxicating liquor, amphetamines, marijuana, or any other hallucinogenic or other drugs.

(c) The provisions of this Code section shall not apply when the commissioner or director of the juvenile detention facility has provided authorization for the introduction of the items listed in subsection (b) of this Code section into such facility.

(d) Any person who violates this Code section shall be guilty of a felony and, upon conviction thereof, shall be punished by imprisonment for not less than one year nor more than four years.


If you have been arrested for crossing the guardline you need to hire an experienced defense lawyer. Call us at 770-956-1400 to arrange time to discuss your situation and get answers to your questions.