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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. Bullard said that they thought that (the sergeant) had brought the drugs into the prison for (the other inmate), the report states. Officials say that Malek Moore, 29, was found unresponsive in his cell shortly after 4:30 a.m. Wednesday. The staffing shortages also put officers in danger, Smith said. But some experts interviewed by the Observer said thats a possibility. There were children in the home and most of the guns were loaded at the time of the search, the sheriff said. [29] During this administrator's time, the small annex housing up to 252 minimum security inmates was opened. Meggan Callahan was killed there allegedly by an inmate who beat her to death with a fire extinguisher. 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. Jelinek has been relieved of duty pending the outcome of the investigation. }, Raleigh May 3, 2021 The Division of Adult Correction and Juvenile Justice has named Stephen Jacobs as the new warden of Tabor Correctional Institution in Tabor City. Bertie Correctional Institution was understaffed in the month that Sgt. Local law enforcement, either a police department or sheriffs office, is called whenever anyone is caught trying to smuggle in drugs. View Statistics for Year 2022. . These allegations are under internal investigation as well. Inmate. Its not safe, McCoy said. Search by Year. Police were called in to investigate, with assistant from the NC State Bureau of Investigation. number: 3, While the Ontario officers were interviewing Orban and Jelinek, they received word about the sexual assault involving a firearm in Fontana. When you see news happening, report it! McCoy heard the officer curse and saw her struggling with an inmate. That investigation includes support from the State Bureau of Investigation (SBI), Maj. Russell Conway of the TCPD said Monday. However, a December 2020 report showed that state . 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The other suspect is Jeff Thomas Jelinek, 30, an officer with the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, said Sgt. Prison leaders say that when staff vacancies at a prison rise, they make adjustments, such as moving prisoners, reducing inmate programs and sending fewer staff members to special training. (The sergeant) also asked another staff member to bring him his belongings from his office, officers wrote in the report. Thompson asked to speak to his attorney when interviewed. [53], On December 8, 2016, an officer was arrested for "unlawfully, willfully, and feloniously" allowed the sexual abuse between her son and the alleged victim to occur. Do Not Sell My Personal Information. [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. [42], In April 2015, a WECT expose showed why five officers had been terminated and also announced the retirement of Chavez. 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. }. In 2014, a Lanesboro officer was paid $29,800 but made another $35,600 in overtime. (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. Nine of the 99 weapons recovered were stolen, he said. The Tabor Correctional Institution, also known as Tabor City Prison, is a prison within the North Carolina Department of Public Safety located in Tabor City, North Carolina. A correctional officer was in handcuffs Friday afternoon, charged with trafficking synthetic cannabinoids inside Tabor Correctional Institution. 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. [50], The first phase of the search for the replacement administrator began on 5/7/15. The smuggling of drugs into prisons is a nationwide problem, not just a North Carolina problem. At other prisons of comparable size, officers told the Observer, its common for about 50 or 60 officers to work the day shift. Meggan Callahan was killed there - allegedly by an inmate who beat her to death with a fire extinguisher. 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. The gashes in the officers face and neck required 39 stitches. During the course of the investigation and search a quantity of cocaine, fentanyl, suboxone strips, methadone, prescription pills, drug paraphernalia, U.S. Currency and 99 firearms were located and seized, according to the Sheriffs Office. The smuggling of drugs into prisons is a nationwide problem, not just a North Carolina problem. She resigned last Friday. But he said that Gov. a case of possible exposure of tuberculosis was reported, although later testing proved negative. All rights reserved. The police department of Westminster, California recently suspended an officer caught punching a handcuffed Latina arrestee twice in the face. I want some kind of justice for him.. The Charlotte Observer. Dustin Goodson is the inmate who died from the suspected drug overdose at Tabor Correctional. Dustin chose to be a donor because thats just the way he was he was always helping people and ultimately, I think he saved like five lives with his donations, Pressley said. According to state law, correctional officers cannot have been convicted of misdemeanors for three years. Madden was placed in the Robeson County Detention Center under a $1,075,000 secured bond, according to the Sheriffs Office. Thompson was booked at the Columbus County Detention Center Friday evening, his bond set at $25,000 secured, Conway said. I got a call from the prison that said that he was in the hospital, in the ICU, Pressley said. About 60 inmates were also near Callahan when she was attacked on April 26, Jernigan said. The Ontario officers, however, felt their statements were inconsistent and somewhat suspicious, police said. Orban was booked on suspicion of kidnapping, false imprisonment, rape and carjacking. I dont understand how thats happening. (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.. Pressley rushed to be by her sons side at the hospital where she heard his last heartbeat. Investigators filed a separate report for drug trafficking/smuggling following their conversation with Bullard on Nov. 18. July 17, 2022. WINDSOR, N.C. Bertie Correctional Institution was understaffed the month that Sgt. The incident began Saturday afternoon after the woman, who lives in San Bernardino County, left work at Ontario Mills Mall. Callahan died, roughly one of every five CO positions at the prison was vacant, By Ames Alexander and Gavin Off 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. During the construction of the new addition to the prison, cell phones and marijuana were found during the construction of the addition, apparently in an effort to smuggle the items into the prison. [18], In May 2014 TCI was visited by high ranking Panama officials to review the operation of the prison. Meggan Callahan was killed there - allegedly by an inmate who beat her to death with a fire extinguisher. Statewide, about 16 percent of officer positions are vacant. When Orban returned to the mall, he called his wife to tell her he was missing his gun. Due to a backlog in counties jails and crowding in other North Carolina state prisons,[2] the state of North Carolina began construction on Tabor Correctional Institution (TCI) in May 2006 and was completed in April 2008. While the inmates paid for the food, state resources were used to deliver these meals. All rights reserved. Thompson had been a correctional officer with Tabor Correctional since July 2018 before resigning Monday. Derek C. Madden, 32, of Lumberton, was charged with two counts of trafficking opium or heroin, possession with intent to sell or deliver cocaine, two counts of possession with intent to manufacture, sell and deliver a Schedule II controlled substance, possession with intent to manufacture, sell and deliver a Schedule III controlled substance, maintaining a dwelling for a controlled substance, nine counts of possession of a stolen firearm, possession of drug paraphernalia and simple possession of a Schedule II controlled substance, according to the Robeson County Sheriffs Office. David released a statement on the situation Wednesday. All rights reserved. [49], In addition, some commentators have included censorship as well as other deprivations as problems under this new leadership. He is being held on suspicion of carjacking and as an accessory to the crime, and is being held in lieu of $1 million bail.. We absolutely and fully support prosecution of those responsible. Dawe, whose group shares research to help correctional officers, said that prison leaders who operate without sufficient staff roll the dice with peoples lives.. Officers said excessive overtime work can leave them burned out and exhausted. 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 and the discovery of 99 firearms, according to the Robeson County Sheriffs Office. November 24, 2021 WWAY News , Said Gary Harkins, former research and information director for ACOIN: People can get killed when you dont have enough staff. 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. "[25], Some negative publicity was reported during this period by officers during this period were charged with committing theft,[26][27] and, in an unrelated case, a different officer was charged with dealing drugs, although not in the prison. Roy Cooper has asked him to review the circumstances to ensure this doesnt happen again.. Figures show that in April, when Sgt. Contents 1 Construction 2 Operation But while North Carolina typically hires about 1,800 to 2,000 prison officers per year, it usually loses about that many as well. Jelinek is a four-year officer with the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. Prison leaders plan to examine many factors, including staffing patterns, Guice said. 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. She then called Ontario police. [1] The prison opened in 2008. More than 50 dosage units, 200 grams of the synthetic drug commonly known as K2/Spice was recovered, Conway said. [32] After an internal investigation lasting only a few weeks, the state found no "wrongdoing" in the fundraising effort, but halted the program, until "state prison administrators and auditors can develop formal policy guidelines for employee fundraising activities.". . Synthetic cannabinoids, a U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration online Drug Fact Sheet says, mimic THC, the main psychoactive ingredient of marijuana.. The investigation continues in the case, the sheriff said. By DEUCE NIVEN tribdeuce@tabor-loris.com A correctional officer at Tabor Correctional Institution is under investigation following the overdose death of an inmate there, the Tabor City Police Department reports. The officer was indicted by a federal grand jury. (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.. This is the largest weapon seizure Ive ever seen in this county, said Robeson County Sheriff Burnis Wilkins. Ive got a recording of his heartbeat . [12], It cost approximately $28million to operate this prison each year[13] TCI is maintained by contract maintenance, TKC Management Services.[14]. Investigators spoke with an Assistant District Attorney, who requested an autopsy be performed on Goodson. 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. Copyright 2021 WECT. [43] It revealed that guards at the prison had been fired for unnecessary uses of force against an inmate, an officer having an inappropriate relationship with an inmate, for unsatisfactory job performance and sleeping while on duty, falsification of doctors' notes and being arrested and charged with first degree burglary. We'd love to hear from you. More than 121 grams of synthetic marijuana was discovered during a search of the cell. Inmates were charged with assaulting officers on more than one occasion. [11], Before its official opening, the prison was used in various training exercises. During this time. 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. He was just talking about how he missed his family and he was just ready to be home with us, Pressley said. The incident resulted in an "active shooter" announcement being broadcast over the hospital's public address system. Editors note: WECT is not naming the other two correctional officers as they have not been charged with any crime. 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." category_id: null, The Division of Adult Correction and Juvenile Justice has named Stephen Jacobs as the new warden of Tabor Correctional Institution in Tabor City. He resigned from his position on Monday. "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. 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 ATFs database called the National Integrated Ballistic Information Network, or NIBIN, also will be used to determine if guns were stolen. He called me that Friday morning about 9:30 he called me and he was fine; he talked, we talked for the whole time the call would let us talk. It houses over 1700 mixed classification inmates. Productive positive work enviornment. Attorneys for Orban and Jelinek could not immediately be reached for comment. Three correctional officers resign amid drug smuggling allegations and suspected inmate overdose death, Three corrections officers resign amid drug smuggling allegations, National Park Service says never push a slower friend down when escaping a bear, 2 dead, 1 deputy injured in Harnett County chase, crash, officials say; chase suspect on the run. A criminal investigation is underway after an inmate was attacked early Wednesday morning at Tabor Correctional Institution. Copyright 2023 Honoring Officers Killed in 2022. Detectives are concerned that there may be other victims. The new administrator, Patsy Chavis, was appointed to the post on February 22, 2012, despite having no experience as a custody officer in her official NCDPS biography. [37], WECT reported that in late November 2014 a prison guard was arrested by the FBI for conspiring to rob an armored vehicle. That works out to about one officer for every 29 inmates. The state must pay a fee to the counties to house these inmates. State figures. . These allegations are under internal investigation as well. 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. Jacobs, 53, had been the warden at Lumberton Correctional Institution in Lumberton since 2020. This is usually something we see on legal mail, Wilkins said. Look for more on this story as events warrant and in the next Tabor-Loris Tribune in print and online. The other officer on shift with Thompson had been at Tabor Correctional since June 2019. TABOR CITY, NC (WWAY) One correctional officer has been charged, and two others have resigned in the wake of the overdose death of an inmate at Tabor Correctional Institution. And they say pay increases approved by the legislature in 2015 will also help with recruiting. David McBride of the Ontario Police Department. Three correctional officers named in two separate incident reports filed by the Tabor City Police Department have resigned, and one of them faces a charge of trafficking synthetic cannabinoids . TABOR CITY, NC (WWAY) One correctional officer has been charged, and two others have resigned in the wake of the overdose death of an inmate at Tabor Correctional Institution. There is no prior relationship between the victim and the suspects, McBride said. The arrest can affect the image of all law enforcement personnel to the public, he said. 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. Angela Smith, who worked as an officer at Tabor Correctional Institution from 2010 to 2014, said she was often asked to work overtime because the prison was so understaffed. [20] Kenworthy had been named as Administrator prior to the prison's opening on June 29, 2007.[21]. Wesley Thompson, a Correctional Officer at Tabor Correctional Institution, in the custody of Capt. At Bertie, Callahan was responding to a fire set inside a trash can on the evening of April 26 when an inmate beat her to death with the fire extinguisher shed brought to douse the flames, state officials say. The original maximum number of inmates housed at the prison was 1,500. orientation: "portrait", Editors note: WECT is not naming the other two correctional officers as they have not been charged with any crime. Their son, former correctional officer Valentino Rodriguez Jr., was found dead dead at home in October. widget: true, Year. We're your neighbors. Apply to Senior Correction Officer, Correctional Officer and more! But, not all law enforcement officers should take on the bad image produced by some officers, he said. We're the most trusted source for way more local news. The Department of Public Safety has zero tolerance for any staff involved in any illegal activity and is cooperating fully in this investigation.