Columbus man who worked in Alabama jail charged with sneaking cell phones to inmate
Sheriff’s investigators in Lee County, Alabama, have arrested a Columbus man who worked as a corrections officer there, charging him with slipping cell phones and other gear to a prison inmate.
D’Mario Jones, 27, was charged Tuesday with two counts of first degree promoting prison contraband, according to a news release from the sheriff’s office.
Jones was working full-time for the sheriff as a corrections officer, assigned to the Lee County Detention Center, where he repeatedly brought in cell phones and related items to an inmate in exchange for money from the inmate’s family, authorities said.
“Detention center operations involve constant monitoring of security procedures and protocols,” said the sheriff’s office. “Diligence on the part of other corrections officers played a significant role in the detection of Jones’ actions and identification of other involved persons.”
Other arrests are expected, investigators said. Jones was being held on $10,000 bond.
Anyone with information on the case was asked to contact the Lee County Sheriff’s Office at 334-749-5651 or Central Alabama Crime Stoppers at 334-215-7867.
The detention center has a link at leecountysheriff.org that lists the items visitors are allowed to give inmates.
This story was originally published February 10, 2021 at 12:12 PM.