Robeson County Sheriff Burnis Wilkins, left, and sheriffs Lt. Adam Chavis examine guns seized from a Lumberton residence on Thursday. 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. Talk to WWAY's anchors, reporters and meteorologists. I got a call from the prison that said that he was in the hospital, in the ICU, Pressley said. Year. November 24, 2021 WWAY News , DA issues statement over illegal drug allegations involving Tabor City Editors note: WECT is not naming the other two correctional officers as they have not been charged with any crime. map: false, 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 . Surveillance video in the prison led investigators to Thompson and to an inmate, who was allegedly provided some of the drug, Conway said. 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. I think if I hadnt gotten over there in time, (Mosley) probably would have cut her throat, McCoy said. This is a constant battle, fought daily. Bullard has served as the associate warden for custody at the prison since December 2019. 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. Said Gary Harkins, former research and information director for ACOIN: People can get killed when you dont have enough staff. State figures. You can only spread people so thin, she said. NC state correctional officer killed after police chase in Horry County There are no doubts drugs get into prisons despite extensive efforts to keep them out. Copyright 2021 WECT. 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. Nine of the 99 weapons recovered were stolen, he said. Meggan Callahan was killed there - allegedly by an inmate who beat her to death with a fire extinguisher. McCoy heard the officer curse and saw her struggling with an inmate. The incident resulted in an "active shooter" announcement being broadcast over the hospital's public address system. The Department has many hard-working correctional professionals and it takes staff arrests very seriously. Horry County Coroner Robert Edge confirms a man was killed when his vehicle crashed into a power pole as he was being pursued by police. Jamie Bullard Named Warden at Tabor Correctional Institution Two new prison managers appointed | NC DPS According to state law, correctional officers cannot have been convicted of misdemeanors for three years. Brad Perritt has been named administrator at Tabor Correctional Institution in Tabor City. The state has recently made offers to about 400 officer candidates, so the vacancy rate will likely drop, Guice said. partner_name: "WWAY TV", 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 Department has many hard-working correctional professionals and it takes staff arrests very seriously. 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. 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. researches product purchases and suppliers. North Carolina. Speaking with officers on Nov. 16, Associate Warden Jamie Bullard said he was investigating a sergeant at the prison and another inmate. The second officer admitted she knew about Thompsons drug activity. The arrest can affect the image of all law enforcement personnel to the public, he said. [22][23] Inmates were found guilty of additional charges due to these assaults. The pay is low an average of the about $35,000 annually at maximum-security prisons and the work is dangerous and demanding. Working at Tabor Correctional Institution: 7 Reviews - Indeed (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. She earned an extra $36,500 in overtime that year, records show. Thompson asked to speak to his attorney when interviewed. [46] WECT later reported this officer had been convicted of larceny a year before the prison hired her. They contended those numbers constitute sensitive public security information.. Search by Year. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. 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. Officer charged with drug trafficking at TCI - Tabor-Loris Tribune 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. Orban approached her as she was getting into her car in the mall parking lot and forced himself into the passenger seat, police said. The call came just hours after she had talked to her son. An officer at Tabor Correctional Institution planned to rob an armored car. Bertie Correctional Institution was understaffed in the month that Sgt. function evvntDiscoveryInit() { But by that time, the officer was already bleeding profusely. identifies important training information, interacts with each other and 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. 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. Drills included escaped inmates and staff being taken hostage. 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. Contact the writer: 714-704-3764 or ghardesty@ocregister.com, Westminster detective arrested in brutal rape, Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window), Three women arrested for alleged fraudulent federal student loans from Fullerton college, Tom Sizemore, Saving Private Ryan actor, dies at 61, 7 house fires prompt fears about gas meters buried in snow. 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. 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. Look for more on this story as events warrant and in the next Tabor-Loris Tribune in print and online. Tabor Correctional inmate dies of apparent suicide, 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. RALEIGH, N.C. (WECT) - Jamie Bullard has been named the new warden of Tabor Correctional Institution in Tabor City, the Division of Adult Correction and Juvenile Justice announced Monday. 2175 N. Roberts Ave, [39], Also in November 2014. yet another officer was arrested for providing drugs to the inmates. Apply to Senior Correction Officer, Correctional Officer and more! It has become the most comprehensive and trusted online destination for correctional professionals nationwide. Inmate overdose death prompts TCI investigation - Tabor-Loris Tribune Local law enforcement, either a police department or sheriffs office, is called whenever anyone is caught trying to smuggle in drugs. The cost to build the prison was approximately $94million,[9] although the use of inmate labor greatly reduced what this amount would have been if private contractors had been used. He was just talking about how he missed his family and he was just ready to be home with us, Pressley said. 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. The death of Rodriguez Jr., who left his job at California State Prison-Sacramento in. The stamp, if used on mail sent to inmates, restricts law enforcement personnel and prison workers from opening mail prior to the delivery to inmates, Wilkins said. Its as simple as that.. 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. The inmate also provided a written statement that he received drugs from the sergeant, according to the report. Meggan Callahan was killed there allegedly by an inmate who beat her to death with a fire extinguisher. Jelinek has been relieved of duty pending the outcome of the investigation. (Deuce Niven, TLT). Inmate. Three correctional officers are off the job amid allegations of drug smuggling and after an inmate died from an apparent overdose. While speaking about Goodson, Bullard mentioned prison staff had found more drugs under a podium in a unit. }, The ATFs database called the National Integrated Ballistic Information Network, or NIBIN, also will be used to determine if guns were stolen. The Department of Public Safety has zero tolerance for any staff involved in any illegal activity and is cooperating fully in this investigation. . They stopped in Fontana, near Base Line Road and the 15 Freeway, in a commercial complex. [19], The Tabor City Prison officially opened on August 18, 2008,[13] with George Kemworthy serving as administrator of the prison. But Harkins said the numbers provided by North Carolina suggest Bertie was severely understaffed.. 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. [42], In April 2015, a WECT expose showed why five officers had been terminated and also announced the retirement of Chavez. The officer was indicted by a federal grand jury. 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. While the Ontario officers were interviewing Orban and Jelinek, they received word about the sexual assault involving a firearm in Fontana. 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. submission: { text: "Promote your event", Geo resource failed to load. The police department of Westminster, California recently suspended an officer caught punching a handcuffed Latina arrestee twice in the face. Its a black eye to the law enforcement profession, Wilkins said. The San Bernardino County District Attorneys office has not received the case yet from Ontario police, and has until Tuesday to file charges, spokeswoman Susan Mickey said. This is usually something we see on legal mail, Wilkins said. NC prison officer planned to behead 2 people | Charlotte Observer They might have had enough officers to subdue that inmate before he got that fire extinguisher from the sergeant, said Robert Webster, a former captain at two North Carolina maximum-security prisons. 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. (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.. 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 gashes in the officers face and neck required 39 stitches. Roy Cooper has asked him to review the circumstances to ensure this doesnt happen again.. 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. Dustin Goodson is the inmate who died from the suspected drug overdose at Tabor Correctional. Jacobs, 53, had been the warden at Lumberton Correctional Institution in Lumberton since 2020. . We'd love to hear from you. A correctional officer was in handcuffs Friday afternoon, charged with trafficking synthetic cannabinoids inside Tabor Correctional Institution. Wesley Thompson, 24, of Twin Pines Road, Whiteville, was charged after another correctional officer discovered contraband hidden in a podium in the close custody (maximum security) section at the state prison west of Tabor City, Maj. Russell Conway of the Tabor City Police Department said. We absolutely and fully support prosecution of those responsible. We absolutely and fully support prosecution of those responsible. . "The health and safety of the staff and the offender population is our top priority." Bullard said that they thought that (the sergeant) had brought the drugs into the prison for (the other inmate), the report states. Two other correctional officers at the Institution have resigned, but they do not face any charges at this time. It also revealed this administrator submitted a resignation effective June 30, 2015. That investigation includes support from the State Bureau of Investigation (SBI), Maj. Russell Conway of the TCPD said Monday. I want some kind of justice for him.. I dont understand how thats happening. And this time it came up snake eyes, he said. But he said that Gov. The other suspect is Jeff Thomas Jelinek, 30, an officer with the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, said Sgt. State prison officials refused to say how many staff were on duty the day Callahan died. Lexipol. Jelinek is a four-year officer with the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. UPDATE: Police respond to inmate overdose and Tabor City Corrections [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. Police were called in to investigate, with assistant from the NC State Bureau of Investigation. Its unclear whether better staffing would have saved Callahans life. 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.. Inmate Donny Mosley, who is serving time for second-degree murder and robbery with a dangerous weapon, had slashed her face and neck with a razor-like weapon. 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. All rights reserved. Only one faces criminal charges at this time, though the State Bureau of Investigation has opened a probe in the matter. The second officer admitted she knew about Thompsons drug activity. 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. 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. WINDSOR, N.C. Bertie Correctional Institution was understaffed the month that Sgt. Over the past four years, the Division of Prisons has: We educate, train and do everything possible to keep contraband out. We're the most trusted source for way more local news. Cop Suspended for Punching Latina As Police Reject 98% of - Newsweek