North Carolina. 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. [45] During the same month, WECT reported that an officer was charged, while on duty, with stealing over $30,000 in property and cash from an employee at the UNC Hospital's Ambulatory Care Center. [46] WECT later reported this officer had been convicted of larceny a year before the prison hired her. 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. Contents 1 Construction 2 Operation . Three correctional officers resign amid drug smuggling allegations and suspected inmate overdose death, 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. 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. All it would take is for five or ten guys to decide were going to take over the prison. Meggan Callahan was killed there - allegedly by an inmate who beat her to death with a fire extinguisher. 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. According to state law, correctional officers cannot have been convicted of misdemeanors for three years. During the search of the deceaseds cell two small suboxone strips were located in the inmates cell and were collected by prison staff.. [10], Early in 2014, an addition housing 252 minimum inmates opened, rasing the maximum number of inmates housed at Tabor Prison to 1,752. 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. [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. April 5, 2010 at 2:00 p.m. WESTMINSTER - An off-duty Westminster police officer and an off-duty state corrections officer were arrested Saturday night in connection with a carjacking, kidnapping . Attorneys for Orban and Jelinek could not immediately be reached for comment. 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. The other officer on shift with Thompson had been at Tabor Correctional since June 2019. All rights reserved. The incident began Saturday afternoon after the woman, who lives in San Bernardino County, left work at Ontario Mills Mall. [7] A double fence surrounds the prison.[8]. (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.. Texas Department of Criminal Justice - Correctional Institutions Division, TX. 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. The Sheriffs Office will work with the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives to determine if more guns were stolen or if any were used in crimes. 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 . widget: true, Said Gary Harkins, former research and information director for ACOIN: People can get killed when you dont have enough staff. Guns will be held for evidence until the trial, said sheriffs Maj. Damien McLean. [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. 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. The California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) is committed to continually improving the Public Inmate Locator System web experience to locate inmates. Dustin Goodson is the inmate who died from the suspected drug overdose at Tabor Correctional. 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. Orban and Jelinek were arrested and booked into West Valley Detention Center in Rancho Cucamonga. 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. All rights reserved. The gun was determined to belong to Orban, police 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.. The visit was also covered by the Tabor-Loris Tribune. This is a constant battle, fought daily. But by that time, the officer was already bleeding profusely. [47], Later in June 2015, a Correctional Sergeant, from the prison was charged with multiple drug related offenses. 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 sergeant) also asked another staff member to bring him his belongings from his office, officers wrote in the report. We live, work and play right here in the Cape Fear. [37], WECT reported that in late November 2014 a prison guard was arrested by the FBI for conspiring to rob an armored vehicle. Only one faces criminal charges at this time, though the State Bureau of Investigation has opened a probe in the matter. The inmate also provided a written statement that he received drugs from the sergeant, according to the report. Drills included escaped inmates and staff being taken hostage. 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. Pressley rushed to be by her sons side at the hospital where she heard his last heartbeat. [28], Once Kenworthy, first hired in 1982 as a corrections officer [21] retired after a long career with the North Carolina Department of Corrections, numerous controversies under the new leadership were reported. One Polk officer made $29,800 in salary in 2015. 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. While the Ontario officers were interviewing Orban and Jelinek, they received word about the sexual assault involving a firearm in Fontana. 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. Corrections Officer V Mark A. Loecken. Thompson was booked at the Columbus County Detention Center Friday evening, his bond set at $25,000 secured, Conway said. Special Reports. map: false, 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.. Those officers must cover two shifts and a number of them are off, sick or on vacation at any given time so only a fraction of the total staff was likely available to work the day shift on April 26. Figures show that in April, when Sgt. 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. 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 2023 Corrections1. partner_name: "WWAY TV", As soon as we plug a hole in one area, offenders find a work around. Cons Work related injuries or death caused by inmates. Thompson has not been linked to the death of Goodson at this time. Investigators filed a separate report for drug trafficking/smuggling following their conversation with Bullard on Nov. 18. Over the past four years, the Division of Prisons has: We educate, train and do everything possible to keep contraband out. The death of Rodriguez Jr., who left his job at California State Prison-Sacramento in. The police department of Westminster, California recently suspended an officer caught punching a handcuffed Latina arrestee twice in the face. identifies important training information, interacts with each other and July 17, 2022. [40] The officer was arrested by the Tabor City police department. 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. The Division of Adult Correction and Juvenile Justice has named Jamie Bullard as the new warden of Tabor Correctional Institution in Tabor City. Thompson had been a correctional officer with Tabor Correctional since July 2018 before resigning Monday. 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. 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. All rights reserved. And this time it came up snake eyes, he said. Detectives are concerned that there may be other victims. Investigators spoke with an Assistant District Attorney, who requested an autopsy be performed on Goodson. There are no doubts drugs get into prisons despite extensive efforts to keep them out. It has become the most comprehensive and trusted online destination for correctional professionals nationwide. Moore was serving a nine-month sentence for parole violation at the time of his death. 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. However, a December 2020 report showed that state . During the search of the deceaseds cell two small suboxone strips were located in the inmates cell and were collected by prison staff.. virtual: false, The investigation continues in the case, the sheriff said. The Division of Adult Correction and Juvenile Justice has named Stephen Jacobs as the new warden of Tabor Correctional Institution in Tabor City. Corrections1 is revolutionizing the way in which the corrections community finds relevant news, A correctional officer was in handcuffs Friday afternoon, charged with trafficking synthetic cannabinoids inside Tabor Correctional Institution. Wesley Thompson, a Correctional Officer at Tabor Correctional Institution, in the custody of Capt. [49], In addition, some commentators have included censorship as well as other deprivations as problems under this new leadership. 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 . 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. Moreover, we are seeking to determine if the recent death of an inmate by a suspected drug overdose is related to this activity. But, not all law enforcement officers should take on the bad image produced by some officers, he said. The staffing shortages also put officers in danger, Smith said. McCoy heard the officer curse and saw her struggling with an inmate. 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. Local law enforcement, either a police department or sheriffs office, is called whenever anyone is caught trying to smuggle in drugs. Dustin Goodson is the inmate who died from the suspected drug overdose at Tabor Correctional. "[54], On April 24, 2017 an officer was arrested, accused of having sex with an inmate. Prisons has a zero tolerance for the introduction of contraband to any prison from any source. But prison officials did release the monthly figures, which show that the prison had 211 officers available to work in April. Its a black eye to the law enforcement profession, Wilkins 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. 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 incident resulted in an "active shooter" announcement being broadcast over the hospital's public address system. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. The smuggling of drugs into prisons is a nationwide problem, not just a North Carolina problem. This is a constant battle, fought daily. 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. researches product purchases and suppliers. This may be called Tools or use an icon like the cog. Its not safe, McCoy said. United States; Search; 2022; 2022 Honor Roll of Heroes. evvnt_require("evvnt/discovery_plugin").init({ 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. 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. Orban then forced the victim to disrobe and then brutally raped her at gunpoint, Ontario police said in a statement. That investigation includes support from the State Bureau of Investigation (SBI), Maj. Russell Conway of the TCPD said Monday. Three correctional officers named in two separate incident reports filed by the Tabor City Police Department have resigned in the past week. Orban then fled, leaving his service weapon behind and still in the victims vehicle, police said. Editors note: WECT is not naming the other two correctional officers as they have not been charged with any crime. While Goodson had been in and out of prison, Pressley held out hope that one day he would come home for good. 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. Officers said excessive overtime work can leave them burned out and exhausted. Go. He can actually send illegal contraband through the jail, such as weapons, McLean said if the stamp were used on mail to inmates. The other suspect is Jeff Thomas Jelinek, 30, an officer with the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, said Sgt. Pros Great job security, benefits, salary, etc. Statewide, correctional officers received more than $12 million in overtime in 2015, the Observer found. 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. Bullard also said the sergeant left work early that day after he was questioned and had not returned to work since. Three correctional officers are off the job amid allegations of drug smuggling and after an inmate died from an apparent overdose. [1] The prison opened in 2008. 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. A prison with 1,000 inmates should have a total of at least 300 to 350 officers, he said. 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. Jelinek is a four-year officer with the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. Mother reacts to news of sons apparent drug overdose at Tabor Correctional, 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. [44], In June 2015, the Tabor-Loris Tribune reported that an officer was being investigated striking a person in the road. 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. A Tabor Correctional Institution offender with pre-existing medical conditions, who tested positive for COVID-19, has died at a hospital. More than 50 dosage units, 200 grams of the synthetic drug commonly known as K2/Spice was recovered, Conway said.