Two Ross County deputies were fired a week ago after they were accused of smuggling contraband into the county jail.
The two female deputies were each were let go by the Sheriff; one on March 4 and the other on March 5, respectively. Both women are accused of smuggling items into the county jail where they worked. Their personnel files state they violated “ethical standards.”
“Employees shall not associate or correspond with prisoners, except as authorized by the Jail Administrator; nor shall they receive gifts from prisoners or their families or friends,” both termination letters read. “Any attempt on the part of the prisoner of their families or friends or friends of prisoners presently incarcerated to visit, write, or otherwise communicate with or send gifts to an employee must be reported to the Jail Administrator immediately.”
While their personnel files do not outline any internal affairs investigation documents or the exact acts the women are accused of doing, law enforcement sources inside the Sheriff’s office told the Guardian that the deputies are accused of smuggling contraband into the jail, as well as having “inappropriate contact” with inmates. The Guardian has not been able to independently confirm the allegations or what the deputies are accused of giving inmates.
Neither personnel file contains applications or job offer letters, so the Guardian was not able to confirm when the women were hired by the Sheriff’s office; an email seeking clarity was left with the Sheriff’s office.
Sheriff George Lavender did not return emails from the Guardian seeking comment on the termination of the deputies. County Prosecutor Jeffrey Marks was not immediately available to comment on if the deputies would face a criminal inquiry from his office.
In September, another female deputy was fired after she was found to have been smuggling drugs into the county jail. It is worth noting that about half-a-dozen inmates have died in the last 18 months from drug overdoses as a result of drugs getting inside the secured facility.
EDITOR’S NOTE: In line with the Guardian’s ethics, (www.sciotovalleyguardian.com/ethics), the Guardian will not release names of government officials who are under internal investigations unless they have been charged with criminal charges. It is important we protect innocent people who may be targeted of unjustly investigations. If, or when, a government employee is charged, then we will publish their identity. We reserve the right, however, to suspend this policy based on circumstances.
