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. If you had more staff, then you might have been looking at hurt staff instead of dead staff (on the day Callahan died), Harkins said. 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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. 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. Three correctional officers are off the job amid allegations of drug smuggling and after an inmate died from an apparent overdose. Orban then fled, leaving his service weapon behind and still in the victims vehicle, police said. One of the most dangerous items recovered was the stamp with the words attorney-client privilege, McLean said. Orban then forced the victim to disrobe and then brutally raped her at gunpoint, Ontario police said in a statement. The FBI was conducting an ongoing investigation into the incident as of November 2015. After Orban left, the woman walked to a nearby business where she called Fontana police to report the incident, just after 7 p.m. Copyright 2021 WECT. Wesley Thompson, a Correctional Officer at Tabor Correctional Institution, in the custody of Capt. Lexipol. She resigned last Friday. 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. We'd love to hear from you. (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 Division of Adult Correction and Juvenile Justice has named Stephen Jacobs as the new warden of Tabor Correctional Institution in Tabor City. Anthony Nicholas Orban, 30, a five-year officer assigned to investigations with the Westminster Police Department, has been relieved from duty pending an investigation, a department spokesman said Monday morning. More than 50 dosage units, 200 grams of the synthetic drug commonly known as K2/Spice was recovered, Conway said. Meggan Callahan was killed there - allegedly by an inmate who beat her to death with a fire extinguisher. We live, work and play right here in the Cape Fear. Bullard also said the sergeant left work early that day after he was questioned and had not returned to work since. Published: Nov. 23, 2021 at 8:20 PM PST 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. Officers said excessive overtime work can leave them burned out and exhausted. Honoring Officers Killed in 2022. Im sure Im not the only one thats going through this. These allegations are under internal investigation as well. Prison in Tabor City, North Carolina, United States, Patsy Chavis era (February 22, 2012 - June 30, 2015), Learn how and when to remove this template message, North Carolina Department of Public Safety, "Tabor Correctional Institution - Cornerstone Detention Products", "Optimistic town manager: 'Tabor City is in the fight of its life', "Sunland Fire Columbus County Prison: Tabor City, NC", http://www.taborcitync.org/correctionalfacility.asp, "New correctional facility in Tabor city - WECT TV6-WECT.com:News, weather & sports Wilmington, NC", "New State Prison in Columbus County | WHQR", "Inmate labor builds new prison additions at greatly reduced costs", http://www.fayobserver.com/news/crime_courts/addition-at-tabor-city-prison-open-to-public-tours-saturday/article_2ca5426e-190a-5ea2-af9b-2042c3607bf1.html, http://www.doc.state.nc.us/NEWS/cnews/2008/july-aug%2008%20for%20web.pdf, "TWC News - Charlotte - Salisbury, Gastonia", "Prison Guard Salary | Averages, Ranges, and Starting", "McCrory budget plan includes pay raises for some, but not all", "Panama prison reform gets a boost from N.C. - Fayetteville Observer: News", http://www.doc.state.nc.us/NEWS/2007/releases/George%20Kenworth%20to%20Tabor.htm, "TABOR-LORIS TRIBUNE WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 25, 2012 PAGE 3", "TABOR-LORIS TRIBUNE WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 18, 2012 PAGE 3", "4th Annual Beach Wrestling State Championship wraps up at Carolina Beach", http://www.robesonian.com/view/full_story/6887871/article-2-prison-officers-charged-in-theft?instance=home_news_lead, "US NC: Two Prison Guards Charged With Trafficking Prescription Meds", "North Carolina Department of Public Safety", "20 bags of pot, 4 cell phones discovered in hole near jail", "Prison guard charged for sex offense and providing tobacco to an - WECT TV6-WECT.com:News, weather & sports Wilmington, NC", "Fundraising campaign at Tabor prison under investigation", "Investigation of questionable prison fundraising complete", "State tight-lipped about death of inmate suspected of drinking 'homemade brew', "WECT Investigates: Fast food delivered to inmates - WECT TV6-WECT.com:News, weather & sports Wilmington, NC", "McCrory brokered meeting on contract for friend and campaign donor | News & Observer", "Prison guard arrested in robbery, beheading plot - WECT TV6-WECT.com:News, weather & sports Wilmington, NC", "Federal grand jury indicts Tabor City prison guard", "Correctional officer arrested for providing drugs to inmate - WECT TV6-WECT.com:News, weather & sports Wilmington, NC", http://www.fayobserver.com/news/crime_courts/tabor-city-correctional-officer-accused-of-giving-drugs-to-inmate/article_74d52d84-a035-51f1-a1ac-c6b5d23e3643.html, "State: Tabor City prison guard 'appropriately reassigned' follow - WECT TV6-WECT.com:News, weather & sports Wilmington, NC", "Behind Bars: Why prison workers were fired", "Tabor City correctional officer faces larceny charges after incident at UNC medical facility", "Correctional officer was convicted a year before prison hired her", "Tabor Correctional sergeant resigns following arrest on drug charges", "New Hanover Co. One former officer, who rushed to a colleagues defense after she was slashed in the neck by an inmate at Lanesboro Correctional Institution, said the attack might have been prevented with more staff. All rights reserved. (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.. Said Gary Harkins, former research and information director for ACOIN: People can get killed when you dont have enough staff. [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. Pros Great job security, benefits, salary, etc. Inmates were charged with assaulting officers on more than one occasion. And this time it came up snake eyes, he said. [3] Backlog refers to the housing of inmates in county jails as the prison system has insufficient space to house the inmates. Guice, the prison leader, acknowledged that the state faces significant staffing challenges. Roy Cooper has asked him to review the circumstances to ensure this doesnt happen again.. Officials say that Malek Moore, 29, was found unresponsive in his cell shortly after 4:30 a.m. Wednesday. "The prison's first responders performed lifesaving . 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. category_id: null, Dustin Goodson is the inmate who died from the suspected drug overdose at Tabor Correctional. Statewide, about 16 percent of officer positions are vacant. While speaking about Goodson, Bullard mentioned prison staff had found more drugs under a podium in a unit. And we dont have enough staff to fight back.. 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. Christopher Hilburn of the Tabor City Police Department Friday afternoon. But while North Carolina typically hires about 1,800 to 2,000 prison officers per year, it usually loses about that many as well. Nine of the 99 weapons recovered were stolen, he said. Two other correctional officers at the Institution have resigned, but they do not face any charges at this time. Synthetic cannabinoids, a U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration online Drug Fact Sheet says, mimic THC, the main psychoactive ingredient of marijuana.. Look for a box or option labeled Home Page (Internet Explorer, Firefox, Safari) or On Startup (Chrome). That contraband was located during a search of the inmates cell, Conway said. Do Not Sell My Personal Information. Guns will be held for evidence until the trial, said sheriffs Maj. Damien McLean. I always was saying that at least when hes doing time like that I know where hes at and hes okay, but boy was I wrong, Pressley said. Was this review helpful? That works out to about one officer for every 29 inmates. } Prisons has a zero tolerance for the introduction of contraband to any prison from any source. During the search of the deceaseds cell two small suboxone strips were located in the inmates cell and were collected by prison staff.. 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. Orban approached her as she was getting into her car in the mall parking lot and forced himself into the passenger seat, police said. Only one faces criminal charges at this time, though the State Bureau of Investigation has opened a probe in the matter. Its so dangerous, Gravitte said. This is a constant battle, fought daily. [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. 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. function evvntDiscoveryInit() { 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. The state must pay a fee to the counties to house these inmates. All rights reserved. I think if I hadnt gotten over there in time, (Mosley) probably would have cut her throat, McCoy said. The smuggling of drugs into prisons is a nationwide problem, not just a North Carolina problem. text: "Promote your event", He ran over and subdued the prisoner. [35] According to the same news report, the department of public safety conducted an investigation, "but the results aren't public record. element: "#evvnt-calendar-widget", Investigators then interviewed Thompson and another officer working his same shift. She resigned last Friday. 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. Mobile App | Weather App | WWAYTV3 Email Sign Up, We're everywhere you need us to be. "[54], On April 24, 2017 an officer was arrested, accused of having sex with an inmate. 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. That investigation includes support from the State Bureau of Investigation (SBI), Maj. Russell Conway of the TCPD said Monday. Their son, former correctional officer Valentino Rodriguez Jr., was found dead dead at home in October. map: false, All it would take is for five or ten guys to decide were going to take over the prison. Bullard said that they thought that (the sergeant) had brought the drugs into the prison for (the other inmate), the report states. He was arrested and charged with trafficking synthetic cannabinoids into the prison. It has become the most comprehensive and trusted online destination for correctional professionals nationwide. Orban and Jelinek were arrested and booked into West Valley Detention Center in Rancho Cucamonga. EOW: Monday, January 10, 2022. As soon as we plug a hole in one area, offenders find a work around. 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. 8 Corrections jobs available in Tabor City, NC on Indeed.com. Theres just a few bad apples out there, he said. 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.. [40] The officer was arrested by the Tabor City police department. "His death is tragic, and we continue to work hard to mitigate the impact of COVID-19 in our prisons," said Todd Ishee, Commissioner of Prisons. 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. More than 121 grams of synthetic marijuana was discovered during a search of the cell. About 60 inmates were also near Callahan when she was attacked on April 26, Jernigan said. Jelinek is a four-year officer with the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. Local law enforcement, either a police department or sheriffs office, is called whenever anyone is caught trying to smuggle in drugs. While this is a criminal investigation, the District Attorneys Office is coordinating closely with leadership at the Department of Public Safety to ensure that they have sufficient information to make important personnel decisions. More than 121 grams of synthetic marijuana was discovered during a search of the cell. The cause of death was reported as having been natural causes,[34] however, a WECT report dated July 30, 2015 revealed that the cause of death was "methanol toxicity" from a concoction of chemicals including hand sanitizer that the inmate drank. During this time. Surveillance video in the prison led investigators to Thompson and to an inmate, who was allegedly provided some of the drug, Conway said. 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. Brad Perritt has been named administrator at Tabor Correctional Institution in Tabor City. She earned an extra $36,500 in overtime that year, records show. 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. Investigators filed a separate report for drug trafficking/smuggling following their conversation with Bullard on Nov. 18. There are no doubts drugs get into prisons despite extensive efforts to keep them out. Investigators then interviewed Thompson and another officer working his same shift. 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. To cope with the shortages, many prisons have also paid hundreds of thousands each year for overtime. Investigators filed their first report, with the crime/incident listed as negligent manslaughter, on Nov. 18, six days after an inmate, Dustin Goodson, was taken to the hospital by prison staff for a suspected drug overdose. 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. The call came just hours after she had talked to her son. While speaking about Goodson, Bullard mentioned prison staff had found more drugs under a podium in a unit. 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. There were children in the home and most of the guns were loaded at the time of the search, the sheriff said. Copyright 2021 WECT. We celebrate community and we tell your stories. [51] Assistant Superintendent Larry Thompson was named Acting Superintendent until the next Superintendent was selected. He resigned from his position on Monday. Madden resigned Friday from his post as a correctional officer at Tabor Correctional Institution, according to John Bull, a Communications officer for Prisons at the North Carolina Department of Public Safety. 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. identifies important training information, interacts with each other and 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." There has been no evidence indicating that either suspect represented themselves as police officers during the commission of the crimes.. A short time later, Orban and Jelinek were positively identified as the suspects responsible for the carjacking, kidnap and rape, Ontario police said in a statement. Prison leaders say they have begun assigning new officers career readiness coaches, who provide pointers on dealing with inmates, keeping themselves safe and attaining career goals. Jacobs, 53, had been the warden at Lumberton Correctional Institution in Lumberton since 2020. Inmate Dustin D. Goodson, 31, suffered an apparent overdose on Nov. 12 and was taken to McLeod Loris Hospital, where he was later declared brain dead. Meggan Callahan was killed there allegedly by an inmate who beat her to death with a fire extinguisher. There are no doubts drugs get into prisons despite extensive efforts to keep them out. [48] Because of these charges, the sergeant resigned her position. I dont understand how thats happening. Corrections Officer V Mark A. Loecken. 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. Copyright 2021 WECT. They stopped in Fontana, near Base Line Road and the 15 Freeway, in a commercial complex. The gun was determined to belong to Orban, police said. [1] The prison opened in 2008. Perritt has a 21-year prison work history, most of which has been in corrections. Editors note: WECT is not naming the other two correctional officers as they have not been charged with any crime. researches product purchases and suppliers. Prison leaders plan to examine many factors, including staffing patterns, Guice said. The visit was also covered by the Tabor-Loris Tribune. This is usually something we see on legal mail, Wilkins said. The officer was indicted by a federal grand jury. We're your neighbors. We absolutely and fully support prosecution of those responsible. Thompson was booked at the Columbus County Detention Center Friday evening, his bond set at $25,000 secured, Conway said. 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. North Carolina Prison guards are paid at the lower end of the national scale,[17] although North Carolina Governor Pat McCrory proposed in April 2015 significant increases in officer pay, although the raise may be partially based on the custody level of the prison. Over the past four years, the Division of Prisons has: We educate, train and do everything possible to keep contraband out. All rights reserved. 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. Productive positive work enviornment. The Department of Public Safety has zero tolerance for any staff involved in any illegal activity and is cooperating fully in this investigation. According to state law, correctional officers cannot have been convicted of misdemeanors for three years. Thompson asked to speak to his attorney when interviewed. Thompson asked to speak to his attorney when interviewed. Search by Year. It houses over 1700 mixed classification inmates. They are asking that anyone who has information to contact the Ontario Police Department at (909) 395-2908. [50], The first phase of the search for the replacement administrator began on 5/7/15. Bullard has served as the associate warden for custody at the prison since December 2019. I got a call from the prison that said that he was in the hospital, in the ICU, Pressley said. All rights reserved. Finding people who are willing to work as prison officers isnt easy. Many of North Carolinas maximum-security prisons are operating dangerously short of staff, current and former correctional officers told the Observer. We value and appreciate the difficult jobs that prison guards perform, and we will not allow the criminal actions of a few to compromise the safety of the prison environment for all..
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