These allegations are under internal investigation as well. [52], The third administrator was named in January 2016, Brad Perritt. There has been no evidence indicating that either suspect represented themselves as police officers during the commission of the crimes.. WESTMINSTER An off-duty Westminster police officer and an off-duty state corrections officer were arrested Saturday night in connection with a carjacking, kidnapping and rape of a 25-year-old restaurant employee in Ontario, police said. Sheriff: Its a black eye to the law enforcement profession. Speaking with officers on Nov. 16, Associate Warden Jamie Bullard said he was investigating a sergeant at the prison and another inmate. Prisons has a zero tolerance for the introduction of contraband to any prison from any source. Surveillance video in the prison led investigators to Thompson and to an inmate, who was allegedly provided some of the drug, Conway said. The Department has many hard-working correctional professionals and it takes staff arrests very seriously. At Lanesboro, 45 miles southeast of Charlotte, it was common for 42 officers to watch about 1,200 prisoners on the night shift, according to Gregory McCoy, who worked there as a correctional officer from 2009 to 2016. District Attorney issues statement on Tabor Correctional investigation, 3 hurt in crash involving motorcycle near Surfside Beach, Darlington fire captain recovering after cutting torch explosion, Panthers founder, former owner Jerry Richardson dies at 86, Runners arrive, prepare for Myrtle Beach Marathon, Police: 1 shot, body found in Forestbrook area, Everybody is cheering him on: Duo ready to rock and roll through Myrtle Beach Marathon, wmbf-publicfile@gray.tv - (843) 839-9623. Orban approached her as she was getting into her car in the mall parking lot and forced himself into the passenger seat, police said. Special Reports. During the search of the deceaseds cell two small suboxone strips were located in the inmates cell and were collected by prison staff.. [40] The officer was arrested by the Tabor City police department. Jacobs began his career in 1993 as a correctional officer at the former Cabarrus Correctional Center. }. Investigators spoke with an Assistant District Attorney, who requested an autopsy be performed on Goodson. A spokesperson for DPS provided the following statement when reached for comment: The Department of Public Safety has zero tolerance for any staff involved in any illegal activity and is cooperating fully in this ongoing investigation. This is a constant battle, fought daily. A criminal investigation is underway after an inmate was attacked early Wednesday morning at Tabor Correctional Institution. We're your neighbors. Madden was placed in the Robeson County Detention Center under a $1,075,000 secured bond, according to the Sheriffs Office. . There were children in the home and most of the guns were loaded at the time of the search, the sheriff said. He was just talking about how he missed his family and he was just ready to be home with us, Pressley said. We celebrate community and we tell your stories. The smuggling of drugs into prisons is a nationwide problem, not just a North Carolina problem. The ATFs database called the National Integrated Ballistic Information Network, or NIBIN, also will be used to determine if guns were stolen. Meggan Callahan was killed there - allegedly by an inmate who beat her to death with a fire extinguisher. More than 121 grams of synthetic marijuana was discovered during a search of the cell. That investigation includes support from the State Bureau of Investigation (SBI), Maj. Russell Conway of the TCPD said Monday. The staffing shortages also put officers in danger, Smith said. Search by Year. Investigators then interviewed Thompson and another officer working his same shift. Early on the morning of Nov. 15, 2013, Lanesboro had just four officers in the chow hall to oversee the 100 inmates who were there for breakfast, McCoy said. Statewide, about 16 percent of officer positions are vacant. Thompson asked to speak to his attorney when interviewed. [59], Coordinates: .mw-parser-output .geo-default,.mw-parser-output .geo-dms,.mw-parser-output .geo-dec{display:inline}.mw-parser-output .geo-nondefault,.mw-parser-output .geo-multi-punct{display:none}.mw-parser-output .longitude,.mw-parser-output .latitude{white-space:nowrap}341115N 785447W / 34.187404N 78.913036W / 34.187404; -78.913036. Drugs are thrown over the fences (often stuffed into footballs or basketballs), hidden in the mail, brought in by staff or smuggled in during visitation. When your shift starts at 5:30 a.m. and you work 12 hours and you get told you're held over till 9 (p.m.) you're not alert. TABOR CITY, N.C. (WECT) -Three correctional officers are off the job amid allegations of drug smuggling and after an inmate died from an apparent overdose. Educator Davis given Tabor Medal at TC chamber fete, Bog, broadcaster get historic recognition, US jet shoots down Chinese balloon in sight of the TLC, Loris singer brings sax to the CCMAs; Kindred honored, too, Arrests in Dothan murder include juvenile, victim IDd, Two sought in Soles murder case in custody Wednesday. [46] WECT later reported this officer had been convicted of larceny a year before the prison hired her. Three correctional officers named in two separate incident reports filed by the Tabor City Police Department have resigned in the past week. Robeson County Sheriff Burnis Wilkins, left, and sheriffs Lt. Adam Chavis examine guns seized from a Lumberton residence on Thursday. He definitely shouldnt have had this.. Callahan died, roughly one of every five CO positions at the prison was vacant, By Ames Alexander and Gavin Off The California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) is committed to continually improving the Public Inmate Locator System web experience to locate inmates. WINDSOR, N.C. Bertie Correctional Institution was understaffed the month that Sgt. The gashes in the officers face and neck required 39 stitches. It was later determined that Orban telephoned Jelinek, who picked up Orban in Fontana and drove him back to the Ontario Mills parking lot, police said. Corrections Officer V Mark A. Loecken. discovery: { [41], Soon after, late December 2014, the same news outlet reported that an officer who had been indicted by a grand jury on charges of felony conspiracy to bring contraband into a detention facility, accepting bribes; furnishing controlled substances to inmates; and furnishing tobacco products to inmates was still being allowed to work at the prison by officials, albeit in an "appropriately reassigned" position. He ran over and subdued the prisoner. Mother, son charged with child sex crimes", "Correctional officer accused of having sex with an inmate", "Tabor Correctional inmate escapes from work detail", "State auditor finds problems in Tabor Correctional travel records", "Police: Correctional officer drives into two CFCC students", "UPDATE: Stabbed home invasion suspect is a prison employee", North Carolina Correctional Institution for Women, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Tabor_City_Correctional_Institution&oldid=1112935200, Buildings and structures in Columbus County, North Carolina, All articles with bare URLs for citations, Articles with bare URLs for citations from March 2022, Articles with PDF format bare URLs for citations, Articles with dead external links from February 2022, Articles needing cleanup from September 2022, Articles with bare URLs for citations from September 2022, Articles covered by WikiProject Wikify from September 2022, All articles covered by WikiProject Wikify, Infobox mapframe without OSM relation ID on Wikidata, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 28 September 2022, at 21:35. He resigned from his position on Monday. COLUMBUS COUNTY, N.C. (WECT) - The state Department of Public Safety has launched an internal investigation after a Tabor Correctional inmate died of a suspected overdose amid allegations of correctional officers smuggling drugs into the prison. High School Job Shadowing Program/Senior Projects, Two Chadbourn police officers receive heroism awards for saving lives during fires, Emergency personnel, community partners conduct active shooter training at East Columbus High, #UNSOLVED: Shining light on cold cases in the Cape Fear, a WWAY special report, 'Teacher of the Month' dedicates life to special needs students after high school internship. She then called Ontario police. The police department of Westminster, California recently suspended an officer caught punching a handcuffed Latina arrestee twice in the face. Upon the airing of the story, the Director of the North Carolina Division of Prisons suspended these activities, pending yet another review stating, "The Division of Prisons is surveying the activities of all service clubs across the prison system and developing more specific governing policies for these clubs to ensure that they are operating consistently and are providing true rehabilitative benefits." [57], In October 2019, a Corrections officer was accused of hitting two students with a car,[58] while another was accused of breaking into a house. Sundland Fire also participated in the construction of the prison,[5] as did Bergelectric [6], TCI is located two miles (3km) northwest from the center of Tabor City, although it is considered a part of the city limits. Wesley Thompson, a Correctional Officer at Tabor Correctional Institution, in the custody of Capt. [37], WECT reported that in late November 2014 a prison guard was arrested by the FBI for conspiring to rob an armored vehicle. Thompson had been a correctional officer with Tabor Correctional since July 2018 before resigning Monday. } When you see news happening, report it! [47], Later in June 2015, a Correctional Sergeant, from the prison was charged with multiple drug related offenses. and I think Ill get the names of the people who actually got his organs and maybe one day I can meet them, Pressley said. 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Its unclear whether better staffing would have saved Callahans life. Figures show that in April, when Sgt. Look for more on this story as events warrant and in the next Tabor-Loris Tribune in print and online. Three correctional officers named in two separate incident reports filed by the Tabor City Police Department have resigned in the past week. Investigators filed a separate report for drug trafficking/smuggling following their conversation with Bullard on Nov. 18. Jacobs, 53, had been the warden at Lumberton Correctional Institution in Lumberton since 2020. . The other officer on shift with Thompson had been at Tabor Correctional since June 2019. The death of Rodriguez Jr., who left his job at California State Prison-Sacramento in. Lexipol. She will be spending the holidays grieving for her only son, but she can take some comfort in one decision Goodson made to change the lives of others as an organ donor. evvnt_require("evvnt/discovery_plugin").init({ Orban was booked on suspicion of kidnapping, false imprisonment, rape and carjacking. Inmates were charged with assaulting officers on more than one occasion. Three correctional officers named in two separate incident reports filed by the Tabor City Police Department have resigned in the past week. Guns will be held for evidence until the trial, said sheriffs Maj. Damien McLean. They contended those numbers constitute sensitive public security information.. virtual: false, #ThisIsThePlace. Multiple drug overdoses in the area near Maddens home on the 8000 block of N.C. 72 East near Lumberton sparked the start of the investigation that ended in his arrest, McLean said. Meggan Callahan was killed there allegedly by an inmate who beat her to death with a fire extinguisher. And this time it came up snake eyes, he said. He is being held in lieu of $1 million bail.. Investigators then interviewed Thompson and another officer working his same shift. [48] Because of these charges, the sergeant resigned her position. Brad Perritt has been named administrator at Tabor Correctional Institution in Tabor City. More than 50 dosage units, 200 grams of the synthetic drug commonly known as K2/Spice was recovered, Conway said. David Guice, the states chief deputy secretary for adult correction and juvenile justice, said he does not yet know whether better staffing at Bertie would have made any difference the day that Callahan was killed. Moore was serving a nine-month sentence for parole violation at the time of his death. [36], In late October 2014, according reports from the Raleigh News and Observer in which the maintenance department of the prison head met with Governor Pat McCrory to extend the maintenance contracts beyond their expiration dates. If you need assistance accessing or viewing any material on the Public Inmate Locator website, please contact CDCR's Identification Unit at (916) 445-6713, Monday through . The Department has many hard-working correctional professionals and it takes staff arrests very seriously. North Carolina. [55], In June 2017, an inmate assigned to a work detail at a second prison escaped. While speaking about Goodson, Bullard mentioned prison staff had found more drugs under a podium in a unit. Thompson has not been linked to the death of Goodson at this time. While the Ontario officers were interviewing Orban and Jelinek, they received word about the sexual assault involving a firearm in Fontana. There are no doubts drugs get into prisons despite extensive efforts to keep them out. There are no national standards for minimum staffing at prisons, experts say. [24] When this possible health issue was reported, Mr. Kenworthy stated, "If something of that nature did occur and it was determined that some of our other population was exposed, necessary actions would be taken to provide those inmates with the appropriate testing and/or medical treatment that would ensure their well-being as well as the staff here. [18], In May 2014 TCI was visited by high ranking Panama officials to review the operation of the prison. Dawe, whose group shares research to help correctional officers, said that prison leaders who operate without sufficient staff roll the dice with peoples lives.. [33], Another issue, faced under the new Administrator's term in February 2014, was the death of a 39-year-old inmate, in which an autopsy was needed to determine the cause of death. Officials say that Malek Moore, 29, was found unresponsive in his cell shortly after 4:30 a.m. Wednesday. The Department has many hard-working correctional professionals and it takes staff arrests very seriously. The call came just hours after she had talked to her son. Prison leaders plan to examine many factors, including staffing patterns, Guice said. She resigned last Friday. TABOR CITY, NC (WWAY) In Columbus County, an investigation is ongoing after one Tabor City prisoner died of an overdose, two correctional officers resigned, and one was arrested for. Only one faces criminal charges at this time, though the State Bureau of Investigation has opened a probe in the matter. She resigned last Friday. The officer added that she discouraged Thompson from bringing drugs into the prison and denied being a look out for Thompson when questioned about her appearing to be so in the video footage. "After the decision was made to locate the prisons in Tabor City, the town had to fight the battle of paying for the land (and giving the land to the state) and we (Tabor City) had to fight the battle of raising the millions of dollars in grants that it took to service the prisons with water and sewer" [4], The design of Tabor Correctional is the same as six other North Carolina prisons. If inmates wanted to jump another inmate or take somebody out that day, that would be the time to do it when youre understaffed., 2017 The Charlotte Observer (Charlotte, N.C.). Maddens arrest comes after the recent arrests of three Robeson County detention officers in April for charges of identity theft. COLUMBUS COUNTY, N.C. (WECT) - District attorney Jon David released a statement Wednesday on the N.C. Department of Public Safety's internal investigation after a Tabor Correctional inmate died. But if another staff member had been standing beside the officer that morning, theres a possibility (Mosley) would have kept walking, McCoy said. The officer had previously worked for the armored car company and was planning to behead the owners to make the robbery appear to be an act of terrorism. Dustin Goodson is the inmate who died from the suspected drug overdose at Tabor Correctional. Many of North Carolinas maximum-security prisons are operating dangerously short of staff, current and former correctional officers told the Observer. . ", In September 2014, local news channel WECT discovered that this administrator of the prison had approved using state employees and state vehicles to have fast food delivered to the prison inmates on several occasion. This is a constant battle, fought daily. Copyright 2023 Corrections1. Investigators filed a separate report for drug trafficking/smuggling following their conversation with Bullard on Nov. 18. Year. State prison leaders say they are holding many hiring events and partnering with schools and military bases to fill jobs. LUMBERTON A former Tabor Correctional Institution officer has been charged with multiple drug offenses after a Thursday search of his home yielded enough fentanyl to kill thousands of people . Detectives are concerned that there may be other victims. I want some kind of justice for him.. When you dont have adequate staff to manage the inmates, and theres an incident, unfortunately people can get hurt and sometimes people even die, Webster said. COLUMBUS COUNTY, N.C. (WECT) - District attorney Jon David released a statement Wednesday on the N.C. Department of Public Safetys internal investigation after a Tabor Correctional inmate died of a suspected overdose amid allegations of correctional officers smuggling drugs into the prison. Prisons has a zero tolerance for the introduction of contraband to any prison from any source. But some experts interviewed by the Observer said thats a possibility. When Callahan was attacked, two other officers were nearby, according to Anthony Jernigan, who heads the State Bureau of Investigation office that covers northeastern North Carolina. Geo resource failed to load. (The officer) also said that Thompson told her that he was bringing the drugs into the prison by hiding it in the soles of his boots. Jelinek stood by and watched as Orban pointed the gun at the victim and ordered her to drive away, police said. (The sergeant) also asked another staff member to bring him his belongings from his office, officers wrote in the report. The incident began Saturday afternoon after the woman, who lives in San Bernardino County, left work at Ontario Mills Mall. The arrest can affect the image of all law enforcement personnel to the public, he said. Tabor Correctional Institution is a great place to work but there are daily situations that arise that may jeopardize a persons life whether it be staff or inmates. Cameron Keyon Green, 20, of Woodrow Street in Tabor City was shot and killed during an April 21 burglary in the 1000 block of Miller Road, Columbus County Sheriff's Office spokeswoman Michelle Tatum said Friday. As soon as we plug a hole in one area, offenders find a work around. Copyright 2021 WECT. Video from the area showed Officer Wesley Thompson retrieve two packages from under the podium, place envelopes on top of them and deliver them to an inmates cell. As a part of the North Carolina Department of Public Safety Division of Prisons, it opened in 2008, and housed, as of July 2014, a maximum of 1,752 inmates,[15] providing over 500 jobs to the economically depressed area. The inmate also provided a written statement that he received drugs from the sergeant, according to the report. (910) 763-0979 | newsroom@wwaytv3.com1224 Magnolia Village Way, Leland, NC 28451. The District Attorneys Office has requested the State Bureau of Investigation to investigate allegations that multiple prison guards have brought illegal drugs into the Tabor Correctional Institution, David said in the statement. All rights reserved. While speaking about Goodson, Bullard mentioned prison staff had found more drugs under a podium in a unit. Weve got to find a way to retain the people who work for us, Guice said. Published: Nov. 23, 2021 at 1:28 PM PST COLUMBUS COUNTY, N.C. (WECT) - The state Department of Public Safety has launched an internal investigation after a Tabor Correctional inmate died of a suspected overdose amid allegations of correctional officers smuggling drugs into the prison. The Division of Adult Correction and Juvenile Justice has named two new prison administrators. (The officer) said that Thompson had come to her and asked her if she wanted to make some extra money on several occasions but that she didnt want anything to do with it, investigators wrote in the report. (The officer) also said that Thompson told her that he was bringing the drugs into the prison by hiding it in the soles of his boots. David McBride of the Ontario Police Department. [19], The Tabor City Prison officially opened on August 18, 2008,[13] with George Kemworthy serving as administrator of the prison. Over the past four years, the Division of Prisons has: We educate, train and do everything possible to keep contraband out. Editors note: WECT is not naming the other two correctional officers as they have not been charged with any crime. During this time. After Orban left, the woman walked to a nearby business where she called Fontana police to report the incident, just after 7 p.m. number: 3, Shown are guns seized by Robeson County Sheriffs Office investigators Thursday during the search of a home on N.C. 72 East near Lumberton. The visit was also covered by the Tabor-Loris Tribune. Video from the area showed Officer Wesley Thompson retrieve two packages from under the podium, place envelopes on top of them and deliver them to an inmates cell. Thompson asked to speak to his attorney when interviewed. He is assigned to the Chino Institute for Men. One of the most dangerous items recovered was the stamp with the words attorney-client privilege, McLean said. Do Not Sell My Personal Information, If you need further help setting your homepage, check your browsers Help menu, First Circuit: Surgery performed on inmate to locate alleged contraband a violation of the Fourth Amendment, Ala. police: Man gets ride home from jail, then kills 3 relatives and friend, Charges dropped against detainee after video showed beating by deputies inside Ga. jail, Inmate accused of slashing N.Y. corrections officer indicted, Open the tools menu in your browser. I think if I hadnt gotten over there in time, (Mosley) probably would have cut her throat, McCoy said. Cons Work related injuries or death caused by inmates. You're tired. It houses over 1700 mixed classification inmates. That works out to about one officer for every 29 inmates. Fontana officers responded and determined that the investigation should be handled by Ontario police since the incident started there. Their son, former correctional officer Valentino Rodriguez Jr., was found dead dead at home in October. All rights reserved. The Tabor Correctional Institution was constructed on a 37-acre site in east Tabor City, Columbus County. The Division of Adult Correction and Juvenile Justice has named Stephen Jacobs as the new warden of Tabor Correctional Institution in Tabor City. He was arrested and charged with trafficking synthetic cannabinoids into the prison. (The officer) said that on that Tuesday night Thompson told her that he had a large amount and needed to get rid of it as soon as possible.. The smuggling of drugs into prisons is a nationwide problem, not just a North Carolina problem. On Nov. 18, the day after Goodson was pronounced dead, investigators again met with Bullard, who showed them videos from the night Goodson apparently overdosed. The prisons first responders performed lifesaving measures until local paramedics arrived who also worked to resuscitate the offender and pronounced Moore deceased at 4:56 a.m., a news release states. Look for a box or option labeled Home Page (Internet Explorer, Firefox, Safari) or On Startup (Chrome). Former Tabor Correctional officer jailed after sheriffs deputies seize drugs, 99 firearms three Robeson County detention officers in April, Lumber River United Way holds Annual Day of Caring, PSRC leaders continue defense of El Curriculum, NC report shows increase in student misconduct in 2021-22, Innovation, 3D printing saves UNCP swim meet, Pirates hit as Register hits 200 career wins, Big inning sends Pirates baseball past Hoke. All rights reserved. Honoring Officers Killed in 2022. That contraband was located during a search of the inmates cell, Conway said. Go. Orban then forced the victim to disrobe and then brutally raped her at gunpoint, Ontario police said in a statement. All rights reserved. And we dont have enough staff to fight back.. The other suspect is Jeff Thomas Jelinek, 30, an officer with the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, said Sgt. Im sure Im not the only one thats going through this. Personnel records for the sergeant obtained by WECT indicate he started working at Tabor Correctional in December 2018 and had been with DPS since May 2014. There were 99 guns and enough fentanyl to kill thousands of people recovered from the home of a former Tabor Correctional Institution corrections officer. Ive got a recording of his heartbeat . [22][23] Inmates were found guilty of additional charges due to these assaults.