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Women caught bringing drugs into VA jail hidden in vaginas www.privateofficer.com
In both cases, the drugs were hidden in their private parts.
Maj. Stephen Rubino with James City County Police confimed Tuesday that there were two separate instances of drug smuggling at the jail on June 15 and 16.
On June 15, Kelly Marie White, 42, was reporting to the jail to serve a one-year sentence for a habitual offender conviction.
“Jail staff had some information that she was going to be attempting to smuggle in some narcotics, and after conducting a search of her person they found a small plastic container, which was inserted in her vagina,” Rubino said.
He said the pills found inside were thought to be Flexoral and Percocet. They were sent to a lab for identification.
The incident the following day took place when Tammy Sue Riddle, 50, was searched while reporting to the jail. Rubino said correctional officers also had information that led them to believe Riddle would try to sneak in drugs. He said officers found six blue pills wrapped in several pairs of latex gloves hidden in her private area.
Source:the virginia gazette
Massechussetts Department of Correction Officer Commits Suicide www.privateofficer.com
Worcester District Attorney Joseph D. Early Jr. identified the officer as Kyle Desrosiers, 24, of that address. The state office of the chief medical examiner will examine the body, Mr. Early said in a news release.
State DOC officials confirmed Mr. Desrosiers worked as a correction officer at the Souza-Baranowski Correctional Center on the Lancaster/Shirley line
State police responded to the Elm Street address after receiving a call from Leominster police about 3:50 a.m. reporting a man was barricaded inside his apartment. State police were told the man was possibly armed and had suicidal intentions.
The state police Special Tactical Operations Team arrived at 175 Elm St. along with members of the Leominster barracks, crisis negotiators and local police.
Shortly after 7 a.m., state police entered the apartment and found Mr. Desrosiers inside, dead from what authorities described as a self-inflicted gunshot wound. State police decided to enter the apartment after a witness told them she had heard a gunshot earlier in the morning.
Source:news telegram
Erie County correction officers reject contract offer www.privateofficer.com
Members of Teamsters Local 264 turned down a pact that would have covered seven years that the jail guards have worked without a contract and five future years.
County Executive Chris Collins called it “a fair contract negotiated in good faith” that took into account “the strangling cost of free health care.” Collins stressed that he had worked out an agreement with the leadership of the union.
The Teamsters represent about 500 Erie County corrections officers at the Alden jail and the Erie County Holding Center. Union officials were unavailable to comment Tuesday night. No final tally on the vote was available.
Collins said he was “disappointed that the rank-and-file Teamsters employees have decided to vote down a fair contract negotiated in good faith that recognizes the economic reality we are living with today.”
County officials said the rejected pact called for the elimination of 12 paid holidays, eliminated summer hours and ended retiree health care for new hires. It also required a 25 percent contribution toward health insurance for new hires and a 25 percent contribution toward health insurance cost increases for current employees. And it would eliminate one personal day a year, leaving them with three, and would eliminate the uniform allowance beginning in 2016.
In exchange, the contract called for salary increases over the next five years — 3 percent for 2012-14 and 2 percent in 2015 and 2016. Union members also would receive a lump sum payment for the seven years of the expired contract based on 10 percent of their wages in 2011—which would amount to $7,000 for the average employee — and $1,500 annually in holiday pay
Source:buffnews.com
PA state corrections officer arrest, 11 other employees may face charges www.privateofficer.com
Pittsburgh PA Sept 30 2011 The day after a corrections officer at the State Correctional Institution Pittsburgh was charged with physically and sexually abusing more than 20 inmates, the Allegheny County District Attorney said he has enough evidence to file criminal charges against 11 additional employees.
Stephen A. Zappala Jr. said the majority of those who could be charged are corrections officers, though there are staff members as well.
Harry Nicoletti, a corrections officer at the Pittsburgh low-to-medium security prison, was arrested and charged Tuesday with 92 counts, including institutional sexual assault, involuntary deviate sexual intercourse, criminal solicitation, terroristic threats, official oppression and simple assault.
According to the criminal complaint, Mr. Nicoletti, 59, of Coraopolis specifically targeted inmates who were homosexual or transgendered, as well as those who were convicted sex offenders.
“We don’t like what these inmates did,” Mr. Zappala said. “We don’t want them in our community, but you can’t do this.”
Mr. Nicoletti, along with seven other corrections officers, has been suspended for several months.
It is unclear which other employees are under scrutiny by the DA’s office, but Mr. Zappala made clear that they are not the leadership team that was removed from SCI Pittsburgh in May.
Among the charges under consideration are conspiracy, official oppression and assault, Mr. Zappala said.
“It is a crime under Pennsylvania law for a corrections officer to see assaults or be aware of assaults and not stop them or report them,” he said. “You, obviously, can’t have these things going on in your institution. Besides being illegal, they destabilize the facility.”
Stephen Colafella, the attorney representing Mr. Nicoletti, said his client’s family posted his $75,000 bond, but he will not be released until he has an evaluation with the jail’s behavior clinic.
“He vehemently denies what he’s been accused of,” Mr. Colafella said. “Because he’s been suspended, he’s really not been in the loop. He’s really not had the opportunity to rebut these charges.”
Mr. Nicoletti has previously said the inmates’ allegations against him were false.
But Mr. Zappala said he does not believe this is simply a case of inmates conspiring against an officer they don’t like.
“It’s not just an inmate case. There’s a lot more evidence. There’s staff, records, videotapes.”
Sue Bensinger, a spokeswoman with the Department of Corrections, said she could not comment on the ongoing investigation.
Source:www.post-gazette.com
DeKalb County jail employee arrested for identity theft www.privateofficer.com
Adriara Addison, 20, had only worked as a jail technician for a year. Addison was in charge of things like intake and monitoring inmates in hallways. It was a position that also gave her access to inmates’ personal information.
“We found that there was a scam here in which she was using our computer systems to get information on inmates — their names, date of birth, and Social Security numbers,” Sgt. Adrion Bell told Channel 2’s Erin Coleman.
The investigation started because of a traffic stop over loud music. DeKalb police pulled over Addison’s boyfriend, Robbie Sims, accusing him of playing his music too loud and speeding through the Woodside Village Apartments in Stone Mountain. Sims was driving Addison’s car, and there was a warrant out for his arrest.
“She was told to just cease communication with him. Our investigation indicates she did not,” Bell said.
After searching her home, investigators said they found evidence that Addison was using the inmate information to file false tax returns and obtain fraudulent food stamp cards. They also found one inmate’s Social Security card and driver’s license. Officers believe she took that from the property room at the DeKalb Jail.
“It’s hurtful to the organization but after you’ve been at this — you learn we have to pluck the bad apples out and keep moving forward,” Bell said.
Addison and Sims both face two counts of fraudulent identity theft. But the investigation continues, and officers said there could be many more cases.
“We don’t know how many tax returns were actually sent out,” Bell said. “It could snowball. I’m not saying it will, but it could. We won’t know until the investigation is closed.”
Addison’s mother and stepfather both work at the DeKalb County Jail. Addison was released on $6,000 bond. Sims remains in the DeKalb County Jail on $14,000 bond.
Source:wsbtv.com
Inmate “inadvertently released” robs bank www.privateofficer.com
During a news briefing at the Richmond Jail, Woody said the inmate, identified as Maurice Emile, 32, of Wernersville, Pa., was “inadvertently released during a process of getting ready to go to federal court” for a hearing. He was wearing civilian clothes.
“He went out as the regular folks were leaving around 9:10 this morning,” Woody said. “It was detected that he got in with the wrong group and was released.”
Woody said his staff immediately took action and deputies went to an area where the inmate was seen getting into a car.
A short time later, Woody said, authorities learned that a SunTrust bank had been robbed at Lombardy and Broad streets, and the person responsible was identified as the escaped inmate. He was arrested a short time later by Richmond police.
Woody said Emile had been held in the city jail since April on charges of robbing the same Suntrust Bank on April 30. “He did the same thing that he did this morning,” Woody said.
The suspect gave the teller a note demanding money. No one was hurt, Woody said.
Woody said the circumstances of the inmate’s mistaken release is under investigation.
“As far as how he was released and how it took place, and what violations and rules were violated as a result of the release,” will be examined thoroughly, the sheriff said.
The sheriff said between 25,000 and 30,000 inmates a year are transported to court hearings, taken out for other reasons or released, “and even though one escapes it’s just like a homicide” in terms of its seriousness to jail operations.
“It’s one too many,” Woody said. “But these things happen and we’re not making any excuses. We’ll find out what the break down [was] and we’ll take necessary action.”
Source:Richmond Times Dispatch
Alabama police chief defends “Church or Jail” program www.privateofficer.com
BAY MINETTE, Ala. Sept 28 2011 – It all started with a simple question asked by a group of churches in north Baldwin County: What can we do?
“What could they do for our citizens who are on that bubble between going to a life of crime or being able to turn back to a productive citizen,” said Bay Minette Police Chief Mike Rowland.
What came out of that community meeting Rowland said is the “Restore Our Community” program where non-violent, first-time offenders can choose to go to church over going to jail. It’s been in the works for six months, but over the last couple of days has received national attention, especially from the American Civil Liberties Union.
“The issue is a forced religion. There’s no forcing of anyone in this. It’s totally voluntary,” Rowland said.
Rowland said he is confident the program is within the law.
“It’s very common in the nation. All courts exercise alternative sentencing. This is just another alternative sentencing option,” said Rowland.
Rowland said if an offender does choose the option, he or she must attend weekly services for a year, and attendance will be monitored. It’s open to all denominations.
“They get to choose the church. If they don’t have a particular church in mind, they can [choose] any church anywhere,” Rowland said.
Rowland said the program was supposed to start this week. However, the final version is under legal review to make sure what started as a simple question doesn’t turn out to be a legal nightmare.
Rowland said since word of the “Restore Our Community” program has spread, he has had many calls from other states interested in starting similar programs.
Source:al.wala.com
Loudon County Virginia prisoner tries digging his way out of jail www.privateofficer.com
Yonathan Melaku, 23, who is being held at the Loudoun County Adult Detention Center, was charged Monday with damaging his cell to aid escape and possession of an instrument to aid escape.
Kraig Troxell, the Loudoun sheriff’s office spokesman, said that the damage, which was discovered Friday, was “minimal” and that there was no threat of escape through the wall, which is reinforced with concrete.
Troxell said the incident was under investigation. He declined to say what instrument allegedly was used to chip away at the wall.
In response to the apparent escape attempt, the detention center — where Melaku is being held on grand larceny charges involving a rash of vehicle break-ins in Leesburg in May — was placed on lockdown Friday “as a precaution,” according to authorities.
Melaku, an Alexandria resident, also is charged in federal court with shooting at five military sites across the region — including the National Museum of the Marine Corps and the Pentagon — between Oct. 16 and Nov. 2, 2010.
Aurora considers $50 booking fee for prisoners www.privateofficer.com
The proposed fee would be an up-front fee that would be added to the offender’s bond.
Because Aurora did not have booking fees, some people chose to turn themselves in on warrants in Aurora rather than other municipalities that did have booking fees, according to Aurora Police Lt. Keith Cross.
Cross said it takes two officers to book an offender for safety reasons, and a booking usually takes an hour. That averages to a cost of $66 per booking, Cross said.
“Part of the burden should be on the offender,” Cross said.
In 2010, Aurora Police booked 9,600 offenders, but the average has been 11,400 over the last three years.
Cross said that cost is currently being absorbed by the city. Oswego and Downers Grove police departments charge booking fees between $30 and $50. The cap a city can charge is $50.
“We can’t hold them if they can’t pay (the fee portion), but that would be a debt owed to the city,” Cross said. That debt would be collected through the collections process.
Earlier this year, the city instituted a $75 fee associated with failure to appear warrants, Cross said.
Washington State DOC working with Facebook to delete inmate pages www.privateofficer.com
Seattle WA Aug 31 2011 Facebook, which has become the ultimate time killer, will likely no longer be permitted for people serving time.
The Washington state Department of Corrections (DOC) has begun talks with the social-networking giant to have inmate accounts disabled, said prisons spokesman Chad Lewis. The move was spurred by an announcement from the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation earlier this month that Facebook has agreed to take down inmates’ pages.
In Washington, the decision to try to ban inmates from offering status updates, “liking” friends’ photos, commenting on videos and sending messages will likely affect only a handful of inmates, Lewis said.
Over the last year, corrections officers have confiscated about 40 contraband cellphones from prisoners — the vast majority did not have the smartphone technology necessary for Facebook usage, said Lewis.
Inmates are forbidden from possessing or using cellphones in Washington prisons, and they are not allowed to use the Internet on prison computers.
Corrections staff believe that family or friends of inmates have been keeping the jailbirds’ accounts going from outside prison walls, which is a direct violation of a Facebook policy prohibiting anyone else from using another person’s account, Lewis said.
“We think most of the time if an offender’s Facebook status is updated it’s a family member or a friend updating it,” Lewis said. “The indication has not been that anything illegal has been done. It has mostly been males trying to communicate with their wives or girlfriends or sharing naughty photos.”
The same DOC investigators who scour inmate letters, listen in on phone calls and check the highly secured instant-messaging system that prisoners are allowed to use to communicate with a specific list of people, are checking Facebook regularly looking for inmate accounts, Lewis said.
Corrections officials initially considered asking the Legislature to make the possession of Facebook accounts by inmates a crime punishable by additional prison time, but the proposal was shelved because of the potential financial costs. If just establishing an agreement with Facebook doesn’t work, Lewis said that DOC will consider legislation in 2013.
