Inmate accused of using jailhouse telephone to set up murder

MADISONVILLE, Tenn. — Two men in Tennessee are accused of attempting to set up another person’s death by communicating over a jailhouse telephone, authorities said.

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Francisco Lagunas Jr. and Deondray Lowell Paulsen, of Lenoir City, were charged with conspiracy to commit first-degree murder, The Advocate & Democrat of Madisonville reported.

Lagunas, 22, was in the Monroe County jail after an April 3 arrest on aggravated robbery charges, according to Monroe County Sheriff’s Office online booking records.

According to Monroe County Sheriff’s Detective Brandon Burley, Lagunas last month attempted to enlist Poulsen, 21, to kill a man he believed had turned in evidence against him, The Advocate & Democrat reported.

Burley said that Lagunas used the Monroe County Jail’s telephone service, City Tele-coin, which records and maintains the calls of inmates at the jail, according to the newspaper.

The calls were made to Poulsen over several days. According to Burley, Poulsen allegedly told Lagunas that he would provide a video of the killing of the potential victim, The Advocate & Democrat reported.

Officers waited several days to see if Lagunas would rescind the request. When he did not, deputies arrested Poulsen, according to the newspaper.

Lagunas was charged on May 31, online booking records show. Poulsen was arrested on June 1 and is being held without bond, according to booking records.