This is the largest weapon seizure Ive ever seen in this county, said Robeson County Sheriff Burnis Wilkins. The FBI foiled the 2014 plot . 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. 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. When you dont have adequate staff to manage the inmates, and theres an incident, unfortunately people can get hurt and sometimes people even die, Webster said. Copyright 2023 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. It houses over 1700 mixed classification inmates. Cons Work related injuries or death caused by inmates. 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. And this time it came up snake eyes, he said. She earned an extra $36,500 in overtime that year, records show. 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. The incident resulted in an "active shooter" announcement being broadcast over the hospital's public address system. Meggan Callahan was killed there - allegedly by an inmate who beat her to death with a fire extinguisher. 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. Speaking with officers on Nov. 16, Associate Warden Jamie Bullard said he was investigating a sergeant at the prison and another inmate. One of those officers fell and hurt her knee when she went to Callahans defense, Jernigan said. } Surveillance video in the prison led investigators to Thompson and to an inmate, who was allegedly provided some of the drug, Conway said. Copyright 2023 Corrections1. Officers said excessive overtime work can leave them burned out and exhausted. Investigators then interviewed Thompson and another officer working his same shift. 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. function evvntDiscoveryInit() { Lexipol. All rights reserved. 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. Its not safe, McCoy said. These allegations are under internal investigation as well, Bull said in a statement. We absolutely and fully support prosecution of those responsible. All rights reserved. Figures show that in April, when Sgt. 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. Meggan Callahan was killed there allegedly by an inmate who beat her to death with a fire extinguisher. One of the most dangerous items recovered was the stamp with the words attorney-client privilege, McLean said. Investigators filed a separate report for drug trafficking/smuggling following their conversation with Bullard on Nov. 18. [3] Backlog refers to the housing of inmates in county jails as the prison system has insufficient space to house the inmates. The pay is low an average of the about $35,000 annually at maximum-security prisons and the work is dangerous and demanding. 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. Local law enforcement, either a police department or sheriffs office, is called whenever anyone is caught trying to smuggle in drugs. Bullard said that they thought that (the sergeant) had brought the drugs into the prison for (the other inmate), the report states. Dustin Goodson is the inmate who died from the suspected drug overdose at Tabor Correctional. Prisons has a zero tolerance for the introduction of contraband to any prison from any source. Three correctional officers named in two separate incident reports filed by the Tabor City Police Department have resigned in the past week. In June 2014, a separate facility was added to the prison complex, housing an additional 252 minimum custody level inmates[16] making it one of the largest prisons in the state. That investigation includes support from the State Bureau of Investigation (SBI), Maj. Russell Conway of the TCPD said Monday. Prison leaders plan to examine many factors, including staffing patterns, Guice said. I dont understand how thats happening. Nine of the 99 weapons recovered were stolen, he 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.. All rights reserved. But prison officials did release the monthly figures, which show that the prison had 211 officers available to work in April. [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. Bullard also said the sergeant left work early that day after he was questioned and had not returned to work since. There were 99 guns and enough fentanyl to kill thousands of people recovered from the home of a former Tabor Correctional Institution corrections officer. Copyright 2021 WECT. 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. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. 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. But some experts interviewed by the Observer said thats a possibility. There has been no evidence indicating that either suspect represented themselves as police officers during the commission of the crimes.. [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. Corrections Officer V Mark A. Loecken. To cope with the shortages, many prisons have also paid hundreds of thousands each year for overtime. Some correctional officers have more than doubled their income by working overtime. Officials say that Malek Moore, 29, was found unresponsive in his cell shortly after 4:30 a.m. Wednesday. 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. Attorneys for Orban and Jelinek could not immediately be reached for comment. submission: { discovery: { The Department of Public Safety has zero tolerance for any staff involved in any illegal activity and is cooperating fully in this investigation. [20] Kenworthy had been named as Administrator prior to the prison's opening on June 29, 2007.[21]. While speaking about Goodson, Bullard mentioned prison staff had found more drugs under a podium in a unit. As of September 2014, this employee delivered fast food program remained suspended by the Director of the State Prison System. number: 3, The ATFs database called the National Integrated Ballistic Information Network, or NIBIN, also will be used to determine if guns were stolen. You can only spread people so thin, she said. The California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) is committed to continually improving the Public Inmate Locator System web experience to locate inmates. While speaking about Goodson, Bullard mentioned prison staff had found more drugs under a podium in a unit. David released a statement on the situation Wednesday. [46] WECT later reported this officer had been convicted of larceny a year before the prison hired her. The investigation continues in the case, the sheriff said. [52], The third administrator was named in January 2016, Brad Perritt. Then the FBI stepped in. EOW: Monday, January 10, 2022. And we dont have enough staff to fight back.. The Department has many hard-working correctional professionals and it takes staff arrests very seriously. The officer had previously worked for the armored car company and was planning to behead the owners to make the robbery appear to be an act of terrorism. 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. Copyright 2021 WECT. State figures show that in April, when Callahan died, roughly one of every five correctional officer positions at the eastern North Carolina prison was vacant. Your morale goes down," she said. Said Gary Harkins, former research and information director for ACOIN: People can get killed when you dont have enough staff. We live, work and play right here in the Cape Fear. Callahan died, roughly one of every five CO positions at the prison was vacant, By Ames Alexander and Gavin Off (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.. Orban then fled, leaving his service weapon behind and still in the victims vehicle, police said. The Department has many hard-working correctional professionals and it takes staff arrests very seriously. Its so dangerous, Gravitte said. 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. During the home search, 24,000 milligrams of fentanyl were recovered, which is enough to kill 12,000 people, Wilkins said. They contended those numbers constitute sensitive public security information.. a case of possible exposure of tuberculosis was reported, although later testing proved negative. 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. Please let me know if you encounter any resistance or unwillingness to pay.". United States; Search; 2022; 2022 Honor Roll of Heroes. 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. 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. The Division of Adult Correction and Juvenile Justice has named two new prison administrators. 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. partner_name: "WWAY TV", You're tired. }); During the search of the deceaseds cell two small suboxone strips were located in the inmates cell and were collected by prison staff.. [19], The Tabor City Prison officially opened on August 18, 2008,[13] with George Kemworthy serving as administrator of the prison. 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. 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. [49], In addition, some commentators have included censorship as well as other deprivations as problems under this new leadership. They are asking that anyone who has information to contact the Ontario Police Department at (909) 395-2908. Perritt has a 21-year prison work history, most of which has been in corrections. [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. He definitely shouldnt have had this.. He was arrested and charged with trafficking synthetic cannabinoids into the prison. "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. Mobile App | Weather App | WWAYTV3 Email Sign Up, We're everywhere you need us to be. The Division of Adult Correction and Juvenile Justice has named Jamie Bullard as the new warden of Tabor Correctional Institution in Tabor City. We'd love to hear from you. Moore was serving a nine-month sentence for parole violation at the time of his death. All rights reserved. Local law enforcement, either a police department or sheriffs office, is called whenever anyone is caught trying to smuggle in drugs. These allegations are under internal investigation as well. The other officer on shift with Thompson had been at Tabor Correctional since June 2019. There are no national standards for minimum staffing at prisons, experts say. Christopher Hilburn of the Tabor City Police Department Friday afternoon. State figures. 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. Investigators then interviewed Thompson and another officer working his same shift. At other prisons of comparable size, officers told the Observer, its common for about 50 or 60 officers to work the day shift. After Orban left, the woman walked to a nearby business where she called Fontana police to report the incident, just after 7 p.m. Thompson has not been linked to the death of Goodson at this time. McCoy heard the officer curse and saw her struggling with an inmate. [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. Dawe, whose group shares research to help correctional officers, said that prison leaders who operate without sufficient staff roll the dice with peoples lives.. 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. Productive positive work enviornment. Only one faces criminal charges at this time, though . There are no doubts drugs get into prisons despite extensive efforts to keep them out. 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. Only one faces criminal charges at this time, though the State Bureau of Investigation has opened a probe in the matter. But Harkins said the numbers provided by North Carolina suggest Bertie was severely understaffed.. When you see news happening, report it! [50], The first phase of the search for the replacement administrator began on 5/7/15. More than 50 dosage units, 200 grams of the synthetic drug commonly known as K2/Spice was recovered, Conway said. "Warden Bullard is an exceptional, insightful leader with deep knowledge of the prison and how the prison system . 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. While the inmates paid for the food, state resources were used to deliver these meals. Was this review helpful? 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 Charlotte Observer. Madden was placed in the Robeson County Detention Center under a $1,075,000 secured bond, according to the Sheriffs Office. North Carolina. 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." More than 121 grams of synthetic marijuana was discovered during a search of the cell. The second officer admitted she knew about Thompsons drug activity. 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. 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. Editors note: WECT is not naming the other two correctional officers as they have not been charged with any crime. The FBI was conducting an ongoing investigation into the incident as of November 2015. 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. 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. He can actually send illegal contraband through the jail, such as weapons, McLean said if the stamp were used on mail to inmates. Theres just a few bad apples out there, he said. Moore was arrested in September and charged in connection to a murder in Charlotte and another in Greensboro. publisher_id: "7056", Enter https://www.corrections1.com/ and click OK. It puts officers lives in danger to be honest., The inmates literally say, You all are understaffed, so if we wanted to, we could overtake this prison. . 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. Jelinek is a four-year officer with the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. }. Bullard has served as the associate warden for custody at the prison since December 2019. Corrections1 is revolutionizing the way in which the corrections community finds relevant news, In 2014, a Lanesboro officer was paid $29,800 but made another $35,600 in overtime. Synthetic cannabinoids, a U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration online Drug Fact Sheet says, mimic THC, the main psychoactive ingredient of marijuana.. Copyright 2023 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. ", In September 2014, local news channel WECT discovered that this administrator of the prison had approved using state employees and state vehicles to have fast food delivered to the prison inmates on several occasion. Conway said the investigation at TCI is ongoing. Ontario police met with Orban and Jelinek to take a report on the missing gun. 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. An officer at Tabor Correctional Institution planned to rob an armored car. [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. She then called Ontario police. 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. Prisons has a zero tolerance for the introduction of contraband to any prison from any source. We celebrate community and we tell your stories. 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 . The state must pay a fee to the counties to house these inmates. 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 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. 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. If inmates wanted to jump another inmate or take somebody out that day, that would be the time to do it when youre understaffed., 2017 The Charlotte Observer (Charlotte, N.C.). [7] A double fence surrounds the prison.[8]. Maddens arrest comes after the recent arrests of three Robeson County detention officers in April for charges of identity theft. During the search of the deceaseds cell two small suboxone strips were located in the inmates cell and were collected by prison staff.. [48] Because of these charges, the sergeant resigned her position. The original maximum number of inmates housed at the prison was 1,500. 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. There is no prior relationship between the victim and the suspects, McBride said. 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. But if another staff member had been standing beside the officer that morning, theres a possibility (Mosley) would have kept walking, McCoy said. All it would take is for five or ten guys to decide were going to take over the prison. [38] The officer was also planning to break into several houses to obtain weapons for the planned robbery. 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 . 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. Robeson County Sheriff Burnis Wilkins, left, and sheriffs Lt. Adam Chavis examine guns seized from a Lumberton residence on Thursday. Officials say that Malek Moore, 29, was found unresponsive in his cell shortly after 4:30 a.m. Wednesday. Dustin Goodson is the inmate who died from the suspected drug overdose at Tabor Correctional. 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. Fontana officers responded and determined that the investigation should be handled by Ontario police since the incident started there. The Ontario officers, however, felt their statements were inconsistent and somewhat suspicious, police said. Apply to Senior Correction Officer, Correctional Officer and more! The prison is a mixed classification facility, resulting in inmates classified, originally, from medium to maximum control levels being housed within, with minimum custody inmates added in the 2014 addition. Thompson was booked at the Columbus County Detention Center Friday evening, his bond set at $25,000 secured, Conway said. [59], Coordinates: .mw-parser-output .geo-default,.mw-parser-output .geo-dms,.mw-parser-output .geo-dec{display:inline}.mw-parser-output .geo-nondefault,.mw-parser-output .geo-multi-punct{display:none}.mw-parser-output .longitude,.mw-parser-output .latitude{white-space:nowrap}341115N 785447W / 34.187404N 78.913036W / 34.187404; -78.913036. 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. [41], Soon after, late December 2014, the same news outlet reported that an officer who had been indicted by a grand jury on charges of felony conspiracy to bring contraband into a detention facility, accepting bribes; furnishing controlled substances to inmates; and furnishing tobacco products to inmates was still being allowed to work at the prison by officials, albeit in an "appropriately reassigned" position. (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. 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. [1] The prison opened in 2008. During this time. Inmate Craig Wissink, who has been serving a life sentence for murder since 2004, has been charged with first-degree murder in connection with Callahans death. 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. [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. The state has recently made offers to about 400 officer candidates, so the vacancy rate will likely drop, Guice said. 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Contents 1 Construction 2 Operation Anyone with additional information or any information regarding drug activity in Robeson County is asked to call the Robeson County Sheriffs Office Drug Enforcement Division at 910-671-3191 or email [emailprotected], Reach Jessica Horne at 910-416-5165 or via email at [emailprotected], Address: