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. 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.. 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. WINDSOR, N.C. Bertie Correctional Institution was understaffed the month that Sgt. category_id: null, Conway said the investigation at TCI is ongoing. 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.. Three correctional officers are off the job amid allegations of drug smuggling and after an inmate died from an apparent overdose. 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. Jacobs began his career in 1993 as a correctional officer at the former Cabarrus Correctional Center. Off-duty prison guard justified in shooting death - Tabor-Loris Tribune 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. July 17, 2022. All it would take is for five or ten guys to decide were going to take over the prison. She resigned last Friday. Only one faces criminal charges at this time, though . 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. The San Bernardino County District Attorneys office has not received the case yet from Ontario police, and has until Tuesday to file charges, spokeswoman Susan Mickey said. Orban and Jelinek were arrested and booked into West Valley Detention Center in Rancho Cucamonga. a case of possible exposure of tuberculosis was reported, although later testing proved negative. CDCR Public Inmate Locator Disclaimer - California (The sergeant) also asked another staff member to bring him his belongings from his office, officers wrote in the report. 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. Only one faces criminal charges at this time, though the State Bureau of Investigation has opened a probe in the matter. Three correctional officers resign amid drug smuggling allegations and Copyright 2021 WECT. [37], WECT reported that in late November 2014 a prison guard was arrested by the FBI for conspiring to rob an armored vehicle. 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. Prison leaders say that when staff vacancies at a prison rise, they make adjustments, such as moving prisoners, reducing inmate programs and sending fewer staff members to special training. Orban was booked on suspicion of kidnapping, false imprisonment, rape and carjacking. 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. Officer charged with trafficking drugs at Tabor Correctional You're tired. He resigned from his position on Monday. Wesley Thompson, a Correctional Officer at Tabor Correctional Institution, in the custody of Capt. I think if I hadnt gotten over there in time, (Mosley) probably would have cut her throat, McCoy said. The call came just hours after she had talked to her son. We was really hoping for him to be home for Thanksgiving.. 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. While Goodson had been in and out of prison, Pressley held out hope that one day he would come home for good. District Attorney issues statement on Tabor Correctional investigation At Bertie, Callahan was responding to a fire set inside a trash can on the evening of April 26 when an inmate beat her to death with the fire extinguisher shed brought to douse the flames, state officials say. [48] Because of these charges, the sergeant resigned her position. Moore was serving a nine-month sentence for parole violation at the time of his death. Copyright 2021 WECT. A criminal investigation is underway after an inmate was attacked early Wednesday morning at Tabor Correctional Institution. . Former Tabor Correctional officer jailed after sheriff's deputies seize 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. A correctional officer was in handcuffs Friday afternoon, charged with trafficking synthetic cannabinoids inside Tabor Correctional Institution. Only one faces criminal charges at this time, though the State Bureau of Investigation has opened a probe in the matter. UPDATE: Police respond to inmate overdose and Tabor City Corrections But prison officials did release the monthly figures, which show that the prison had 211 officers available to work in April. Sheriff: Its a black eye to the law enforcement profession. There were children in the home and most of the guns were loaded at the time of the search, the sheriff said. All rights reserved. Callahan died, roughly one of every five CO positions at the prison was vacant, By Ames Alexander and Gavin Off All rights reserved. Bullard said that they thought that (the sergeant) had brought the drugs into the prison for (the other inmate), the report states. The second officer admitted she knew about Thompsons drug activity. Ontario police met with Orban and Jelinek to take a report on the missing gun. Many of North Carolinas maximum-security prisons are operating dangerously short of staff, current and former correctional officers told the Observer. The Department of Public Safety has zero tolerance for any staff involved in any illegal activity and is cooperating fully in this investigation. 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. Guns will be held for evidence until the trial, said sheriffs Maj. Damien McLean. Copyright 2023 Two other correctional officers at the Institution have resigned, but they do not face any charges at this time. But while North Carolina typically hires about 1,800 to 2,000 prison officers per year, it usually loses about that many as well. That investigation includes support from the State Bureau of Investigation (SBI), Maj. Russell Conway of the TCPD said Monday. [50], The first phase of the search for the replacement administrator began on 5/7/15. He ran over and subdued the prisoner. Bullard has served as the associate warden for custody at the prison since December 2019. He was arrested and charged with trafficking synthetic cannabinoids into the prison. Police were called in to investigate, with assistant from the NC State Bureau of Investigation. An officer at Tabor Correctional Institution planned to rob an armored car. Bullard named warden at Tabor Correctional Institution EOW: Monday, January 10, 2022. These allegations are under internal investigation as well. Productive positive work enviornment. 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. During the search of the deceaseds cell two small suboxone strips were located in the inmates cell and were collected by prison staff.. Prison in Tabor City, North Carolina, United States, Patsy Chavis era (February 22, 2012 - June 30, 2015), Learn how and when to remove this template message, North Carolina Department of Public Safety, "Tabor Correctional Institution - Cornerstone Detention Products", "Optimistic town manager: 'Tabor City is in the fight of its life', "Sunland Fire Columbus County Prison: Tabor City, NC", http://www.taborcitync.org/correctionalfacility.asp, "New correctional facility in Tabor city - WECT TV6-WECT.com:News, weather & sports Wilmington, NC", "New State Prison in Columbus County | WHQR", "Inmate labor builds new prison additions at greatly reduced costs", http://www.fayobserver.com/news/crime_courts/addition-at-tabor-city-prison-open-to-public-tours-saturday/article_2ca5426e-190a-5ea2-af9b-2042c3607bf1.html, http://www.doc.state.nc.us/NEWS/cnews/2008/july-aug%2008%20for%20web.pdf, "TWC News - Charlotte - Salisbury, Gastonia", "Prison Guard Salary | Averages, Ranges, and Starting", "McCrory budget plan includes pay raises for some, but not all", "Panama prison reform gets a boost from N.C. - Fayetteville Observer: News", http://www.doc.state.nc.us/NEWS/2007/releases/George%20Kenworth%20to%20Tabor.htm, "TABOR-LORIS TRIBUNE WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 25, 2012 PAGE 3", "TABOR-LORIS TRIBUNE WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 18, 2012 PAGE 3", "4th Annual Beach Wrestling State Championship wraps up at Carolina Beach", http://www.robesonian.com/view/full_story/6887871/article-2-prison-officers-charged-in-theft?instance=home_news_lead, "US NC: Two Prison Guards Charged With Trafficking Prescription Meds", "North Carolina Department of Public Safety", "20 bags of pot, 4 cell phones discovered in hole near jail", "Prison guard charged for sex offense and providing tobacco to an - WECT TV6-WECT.com:News, weather & sports Wilmington, NC", "Fundraising campaign at Tabor prison under investigation", "Investigation of questionable prison fundraising complete", "State tight-lipped about death of inmate suspected of drinking 'homemade brew', "WECT Investigates: Fast food delivered to inmates - WECT TV6-WECT.com:News, weather & sports Wilmington, NC", "McCrory brokered meeting on contract for friend and campaign donor | News & Observer", "Prison guard arrested in robbery, beheading plot - WECT TV6-WECT.com:News, weather & sports Wilmington, NC", "Federal grand jury indicts Tabor City prison guard", "Correctional officer arrested for providing drugs to inmate - WECT TV6-WECT.com:News, weather & sports Wilmington, NC", http://www.fayobserver.com/news/crime_courts/tabor-city-correctional-officer-accused-of-giving-drugs-to-inmate/article_74d52d84-a035-51f1-a1ac-c6b5d23e3643.html, "State: Tabor City prison guard 'appropriately reassigned' follow - WECT TV6-WECT.com:News, weather & sports Wilmington, NC", "Behind Bars: Why prison workers were fired", "Tabor City correctional officer faces larceny charges after incident at UNC medical facility", "Correctional officer was convicted a year before prison hired her", "Tabor Correctional sergeant resigns following arrest on drug charges", "New Hanover Co. More than 121 grams of synthetic marijuana was discovered during a search of the cell. The state must pay a fee to the counties to house these inmates. 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. [35] According to the same news report, the department of public safety conducted an investigation, "but the results aren't public record. Jacobs, 53, had been the warden at Lumberton Correctional Institution in Lumberton since 2020. . Contents 1 Construction 2 Operation All rights reserved. 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 health and safety of the staff and the offender population is our top priority." They contended those numbers constitute sensitive public security information.. 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. The incident resulted in an "active shooter" announcement being broadcast over the hospital's public address system. Copyright 2023 Corrections1. 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. number: 3, The Department has many hard-working correctional professionals and it takes staff arrests very seriously. A police service weapon found in the restaurant workers car led authorities to Orban, McBride said. (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. "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. It houses over 1700 mixed classification inmates. 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. He was arrested and charged with trafficking synthetic cannabinoids into the prison. Lumberton, NC 28358, Lumberton, NC News, Obituaries, classifieds, and Sports. The cause of death was reported as having been natural causes,[34] however, a WECT report dated July 30, 2015 revealed that the cause of death was "methanol toxicity" from a concoction of chemicals including hand sanitizer that the inmate drank. There are no national standards for minimum staffing at prisons, experts say. The other officer on shift with Thompson had been at Tabor Correctional since June 2019. 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. Inmate Donny Mosley, who is serving time for second-degree murder and robbery with a dangerous weapon, had slashed her face and neck with a razor-like weapon. He can actually send illegal contraband through the jail, such as weapons, McLean said if the stamp were used on mail to inmates. Bertie isnt the only state prison with staffing problems. Roy Cooper has asked him to review the circumstances to ensure this doesnt happen again.. [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. During this time. The other officer on shift with Thompson had been at Tabor Correctional since June 2019. State prison leaders say they are holding many hiring events and partnering with schools and military bases to fill jobs. 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. 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. 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. All rights reserved. Investigators then interviewed Thompson and another officer working his same shift. Theres just a few bad apples out there, he said. Copyright 2023 A Tabor Correctional Institution offender with pre-existing medical conditions, who tested positive for COVID-19, has died at a hospital. Synthetic cannabinoids, a U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration online Drug Fact Sheet says, mimic THC, the main psychoactive ingredient of marijuana.. Its unclear whether better staffing would have saved Callahans life. There has been no evidence indicating that either suspect represented themselves as police officers during the commission of the crimes.. 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. The prison is located at 4600 West Swamp Fox Highway. Jelinek has been relieved of duty pending the outcome of the investigation. [18], In May 2014 TCI was visited by high ranking Panama officials to review the operation of the prison. Guard's overdose death reveals hazing culture at CA prison | The Dawe, whose group shares research to help correctional officers, said that prison leaders who operate without sufficient staff roll the dice with peoples lives.. widget: true, [3] Backlog refers to the housing of inmates in county jails as the prison system has insufficient space to house the inmates. Educator Davis given Tabor Medal at TC chamber fete, Bog, broadcaster get historic recognition, US jet shoots down Chinese balloon in sight of the TLC, Loris singer brings sax to the CCMAs; Kindred honored, too, Arrests in Dothan murder include juvenile, victim IDd, Two sought in Soles murder case in custody Wednesday. Local law enforcement, either a police department or sheriffs office, is called whenever anyone is caught trying to smuggle in drugs. Attorneys for Orban and Jelinek could not immediately be reached for comment. orientation: "portrait", While this is a criminal investigation, the District Attorneys Office is coordinating closely with leadership at the Department of Public Safety to ensure that they have sufficient information to make important personnel decisions. [46] WECT later reported this officer had been convicted of larceny a year before the prison hired her. Stephen Jacobs Named Warden at Tabor Correctional Institution Speaking with officers on Nov. 16, Associate Warden Jamie Bullard said he was investigating a sergeant at the prison and another inmate. 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. Three correctional officers named in two separate incident reports filed by the Tabor City Police Department have resigned in the past week. At Polk Correctional Institution, north of Durham, two or three officers are routinely put in charge of monitoring more than 200 inmates in the chow hall, said Sierra Gravitte, an officer who this month resigned from the prison after four years on the job.