Citing an unnamed law enforcement official, CNN reported on Tuesday that Clinton Correctional Facility employee Joyce Mitchell hid hacksaw blades in frozen hamburger meat, tools that convicted murderers Richard Matt and David Sweat later used to escape the prison.

According to the source, Mitchell would bring corrections officers baked goods to get special treatment for the prisoners and convinced guard Gene Palmer to give Matt the metal-laden meat. From CNN:

Palmer didn’t run the meat through a metal detector, a violation of prison policy, according to the source.

Palmer’s attorney, Andrew Brockway, says his client was unaware there was something in the meat and that he was conned by Mitchell.

Mitchell now faces up to seven years in prison for felony promoting first degree prison contraband, a charge that probably can’t be explained away with the ol’ “unaware there was something in the meat” defense.

[Image via AP Images]