[48] Because of these charges, the sergeant resigned her position. Dustin Goodson is the inmate who died from the suspected drug overdose at Tabor Correctional. 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. Weve got to find a way to retain the people who work for us, Guice said. The smuggling of drugs into prisons is a nationwide problem, not just a North Carolina problem. Copyright 2021 WECT. 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. The original maximum number of inmates housed at the prison was 1,500. She resigned last Friday. [10], Early in 2014, an addition housing 252 minimum inmates opened, rasing the maximum number of inmates housed at Tabor Prison to 1,752. This may be called Tools or use an icon like the cog. Its so dangerous, Gravitte said. Tabor City Police Chief Donald Dowless says the investigation is continuing, and that the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation has opened a probe into the case. category_id: null, element: "#evvnt-calendar-widget", 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. Said Gary Harkins, former research and information director for ACOIN: People can get killed when you dont have enough staff. 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. identifies important training information, interacts with each other and [1] The prison opened in 2008. The smuggling of drugs into prisons is a nationwide problem, not just a North Carolina problem. 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. Tabor Correctional Institution is a great place to work but there are daily situations that arise that may jeopardize a persons life whether it be staff or inmates. 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. Jelinek stood by and watched as Orban pointed the gun at the victim and ordered her to drive away, police said. 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. 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. Copyright 2021 WECT. partner_name: "WWAY TV", [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. Conway said the investigation at TCI is ongoing. Do Not Sell My Personal Information. 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. a case of possible exposure of tuberculosis was reported, although later testing proved negative. She earned an extra $36,500 in overtime that year, records show. 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. Its as simple as that.. Copyright 2021 WECT. Officials say that Malek Moore, 29, was found unresponsive in his cell shortly after 4:30 a.m. Wednesday. 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. "[54], On April 24, 2017 an officer was arrested, accused of having sex with an inmate. "The prison's first responders performed lifesaving . Figures show that in April, when Sgt. Thompson asked to speak to his attorney when interviewed. researches product purchases and suppliers. The gashes in the officers face and neck required 39 stitches. Im sure Im not the only one thats going through this. Thompson had been a correctional officer with Tabor Correctional since July 2018 before resigning Monday. North Carolina. Investigators then interviewed Thompson and another officer working his same shift. [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. Nine of the 99 weapons recovered were stolen, he said. They contended those numbers constitute sensitive public security information.. 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. Lexipol. [55], In June 2017, an inmate assigned to a work detail at a second prison escaped. All rights reserved. I want some kind of justice for him.. Its a black eye to the law enforcement profession, Wilkins said. 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. Jelinek has been relieved of duty pending the outcome of the investigation. [44], In June 2015, the Tabor-Loris Tribune reported that an officer was being investigated striking a person in the road. The former NASCAR driver Robert East, known as Bobby, was fatally stabbed on Wednesday in Westminster, Calif., the authorities said, and the suspect in the stabbing was killed on . Bullard also said the sergeant left work early that day after he was questioned and had not returned to work since. [46] WECT later reported this officer had been convicted of larceny a year before the prison hired her. Perritt has a 21-year prison work history, most of which has been in corrections. Bullard said that they thought that (the sergeant) had brought the drugs into the prison for (the other inmate), the report states. During this time. Honoring Officers Killed in 2022. (910) 763-0979 | newsroom@wwaytv3.com1224 Magnolia Village Way, Leland, NC 28451. Three correctional officers named in two separate incident reports filed by the Tabor City Police Department have resigned in the past week. We was really hoping for him to be home for Thanksgiving.. Jelinek is a four-year officer with the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. 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 . He was arrested and charged with trafficking synthetic cannabinoids into the prison. Jacobs, 53, had been the warden at Lumberton Correctional Institution in Lumberton since 2020. . This is a constant battle, fought daily. submission: { But by that time, the officer was already bleeding profusely. [11], Before its official opening, the prison was used in various training exercises. Only one faces criminal charges at this time, though the State Bureau of Investigation has opened a probe in the matter. Investigators then interviewed Thompson and another officer working his same shift. The police department of Westminster, California recently suspended an officer caught punching a handcuffed Latina arrestee twice in the face. Pressley rushed to be by her sons side at the hospital where she heard his last heartbeat. (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. Correctional Officer Wesley Thompson has been charged with trafficking synthetic cannabinoids inside Tabor Correctional Institution. The gun was determined to belong to Orban, police said. WINDSOR, N.C. Bertie Correctional Institution was understaffed the month that Sgt. 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. She then called Ontario police. The second officer admitted she knew about Thompsons drug activity. Its not safe, McCoy said. [52], The third administrator was named in January 2016, Brad Perritt. Attorneys for Orban and Jelinek could not immediately be reached for comment. During the search of the deceaseds cell two small suboxone strips were located in the inmates cell and were collected by prison staff.. 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. Corrections1 is revolutionizing the way in which the corrections community finds relevant news, Year. Prison leaders plan to examine many factors, including staffing patterns, Guice said. 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. Statewide, correctional officers received more than $12 million in overtime in 2015, the Observer found. Theres just a few bad apples out there, he said. (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. As soon as we plug a hole in one area, offenders find a work around. Corrections Officer V Mark A. Loecken. Orban and Jelinek were arrested and booked into West Valley Detention Center in Rancho Cucamonga. Over the past four years, the Division of Prisons has: We educate, train and do everything possible to keep contraband out. 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. 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. [19], The Tabor City Prison officially opened on August 18, 2008,[13] with George Kemworthy serving as administrator of the prison. It was first opened in 1984 and came with 240 inmates; however, over time, the facility has become even bigger with the capability of housing around 1752 inmates. The investigation continues in the case, the sheriff said. These allegations are under internal investigation as well. Prisons has a zero tolerance for the introduction of contraband to any prison from any source. The Division of Adult Correction and Juvenile Justice has named Jamie Bullard as the new warden of Tabor Correctional Institution in Tabor City. You're tired. The officer added that she discouraged Thompson from bringing drugs into the prison and denied being a look out for Thompson when questioned about her appearing to be so in the video footage. Moore was serving a nine-month sentence for parole violation at the time of his death. During the search of the deceaseds cell two small suboxone strips were located in the inmates cell and were collected by prison staff.. State figures. }. They are asking that anyone who has information to contact the Ontario Police Department at (909) 395-2908. Christopher Hilburn of the Tabor City Police Department Friday afternoon. Speaking with officers on Nov. 16, Associate Warden Jamie Bullard said he was investigating a sergeant at the prison and another inmate. We absolutely and fully support prosecution of those responsible. 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.. Jacobs began his career in 1993 as a correctional officer at the former Cabarrus Correctional Center. Prisons has a zero tolerance for the introduction of contraband to any prison from any source. He was arrested and charged with trafficking synthetic cannabinoids into the prison. Orban was booked on suspicion of kidnapping, false imprisonment, rape and carjacking. [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. Speaking with officers on Nov. 16, Associate Warden Jamie Bullard said he was investigating a sergeant at the prison and another inmate. More than 121 grams of synthetic marijuana was discovered during a search of the cell. Investigators spoke with an Assistant District Attorney, who requested an autopsy be performed on Goodson. orientation: "portrait", 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. [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. The Department has many hard-working correctional professionals and it takes staff arrests very seriously. 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