Lake County Jail Inmate Charged After Shank Found During Jail Shakedown
Roosevelt Franks III, 36, an inmate in the Lake County Jail, is facing felony charges after a sharpened weapon was discovered hidden on his person during a jail shakedown, according to court documents.
According to the probable cause affidavit, the incident occurred on March 23, 2026, inside the Lake County Jail in Crown Point. Correctional staff were conducting a “shakedown” search of cells in Z-Pod when they reached Franks, who was described as acting suspiciously.
Franks was escorted to a body scanner, where staff observed an unknown object in his groin or waist area. He was then taken to a locker room for a more thorough search.
Court documents state that before the search was conducted, Franks admitted he had a “shank” hidden in his groin area and voluntarily gave the weapon to officers without incident.
The affidavit describes the recovered item as “a sturdy metal shank-type weapon, sharpened to a point. It measures about 6 inches long, 1.5 inches wide at its greatest width, then sharpened to a point at the other end.” Investigators noted the object was capable of penetrating a person’s skin and causing serious bodily injury.
No additional contraband was found during the search, and Franks was later moved to a lockdown section of the jail without incident.
Charges filed March 26,2026:
• Prisoner Possessing a Deadly Weapon – Level 4 Felony
• Prisoner Possessing a Dangerous Device or Material – Level 5 Felony
