(910) 763-0979 | newsroom@wwaytv3.com1224 Magnolia Village Way, Leland, NC 28451. The judge will determine what is done with the firearms after the trial. The officer was indicted by a federal grand jury. A Tabor Correctional Institution supervisor reported the inmate overdose to Tabor City police on Nov. 16, who began an investigation into the matter. [51] Assistant Superintendent Larry Thompson was named Acting Superintendent until the next Superintendent was selected. Go. The Charlotte Observer. Look for more on this story as events warrant and in the next Tabor-Loris Tribune in print and online. She will be spending the holidays grieving for her only son, but she can take some comfort in one decision Goodson made to change the lives of others as an organ donor. Published: Nov. 23, 2021 at 8:20 PM PST 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. It houses over 1700 mixed classification inmates. Inmates were charged with assaulting officers on more than one occasion. He was arrested and charged with trafficking synthetic cannabinoids into the prison. [49], In addition, some commentators have included censorship as well as other deprivations as problems under this new leadership. However, a December 2020 report showed that state . 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. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. "The prison's first responders performed lifesaving . "The health and safety of the staff and the offender population is our top priority." The call came just hours after she had talked to her son. While speaking about Goodson, Bullard mentioned prison staff had found more drugs under a podium in a unit. Bullard has served as the associate warden for custody at the prison since December 2019. 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. Wesley Thompson, a Correctional Officer at Tabor Correctional Institution, in the custody of Capt. Wesley Thompson, 24, of Twin Pines Road, Whiteville, was charged after another correctional officer discovered contraband hidden in a podium in the close custody (maximum security) section at the state prison west of Tabor City, Maj. Russell Conway of the Tabor City Police Department said. Jacobs, 53, had been the warden at Lumberton Correctional Institution in Lumberton since 2020. We celebrate community and we tell your stories. [40] The officer was arrested by the Tabor City police department. Its not safe, McCoy said. Bertie Correctional Institution was understaffed in the month that Sgt. Conway said the investigation at TCI is ongoing. He was just talking about how he missed his family and he was just ready to be home with us, Pressley said. 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. 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. He can actually send illegal contraband through the jail, such as weapons, McLean said if the stamp were used on mail to 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. The prison is located at 4600 West Swamp Fox Highway. Prison leaders plan to examine many factors, including staffing patterns, Guice said. The state has recently made offers to about 400 officer candidates, so the vacancy rate will likely drop, Guice said. United States; Search; 2022; 2022 Honor Roll of Heroes. [38] The officer was also planning to break into several houses to obtain weapons for the planned robbery. Do Not Sell My Personal Information. Corrections Officer V Mark A. Loecken. All rights reserved. A criminal investigation is underway after an inmate was attacked early Wednesday morning at Tabor Correctional Institution. The District Attorneys Office has requested the State Bureau of Investigation to investigate allegations that multiple prison guards have brought illegal drugs into the Tabor Correctional Institution, David said in the statement. Jacobs began his career in 1993 as a correctional officer at the former Cabarrus Correctional Center. 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 smuggling of drugs into prisons is a nationwide problem, not just a North Carolina problem. "His death is tragic, and we continue to work hard to mitigate the impact of COVID-19 in our prisons," said Todd Ishee, Commissioner of Prisons. Dustin Goodson is the inmate who died from the suspected drug overdose at Tabor Correctional. Bullard had been the associate warden for custody at the prison since December 2019. The Division of Adult Correction and Juvenile Justice has named Stephen Jacobs as the new warden of Tabor Correctional Institution in Tabor City. But if another staff member had been standing beside the officer that morning, theres a possibility (Mosley) would have kept walking, McCoy said. Meggan Callahan was killed there - allegedly by an inmate who beat her to death with a fire extinguisher. 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. "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. [48] Because of these charges, the sergeant resigned her position. Cons Work related injuries or death caused by inmates. 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. Was this review helpful? That investigation includes support from the State Bureau of Investigation (SBI), Maj. Russell Conway of the TCPD said Monday. McCoy heard the officer curse and saw her struggling with an inmate. We absolutely and fully support prosecution of those responsible. All rights reserved. During the search of the deceaseds cell two small suboxone strips were located in the inmates cell and were collected by prison staff.. 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.. The death of Rodriguez Jr., who left his job at California State Prison-Sacramento in. number: 3, [29] During this administrator's time, the small annex housing up to 252 minimum security inmates was opened. Jelinek stood by and watched as Orban pointed the gun at the victim and ordered her to drive away, police said. [30], In October 2012, a correctional officer was arrested in the parking lot of Tabor Correction Institute, according to Tabor City Police, and charged with one count of providing tobacco to an inmate and two counts of a sex offense in an institution. EOW: Monday, January 10, 2022. widget: true, Meggan Callahan was killed there allegedly by an inmate who beat her to death with a fire extinguisher. November 24, 2021 WWAY News , [31], As reported by WECT in February 2014, the new Administrator was accused of forcing employees to pay the new Administrator for promotions through an Administrator-designed "fundraising" campaign. North Carolina. [18], In May 2014 TCI was visited by high ranking Panama officials to review the operation of the prison. One of the most dangerous items recovered was the stamp with the words attorney-client privilege, McLean said. Perritt leaves his post as superintendent at Lumberton Correctional Institution and assumes command at Tabor, where he will oversee the state's third largest . Pressley rushed to be by her sons side at the hospital where she heard his last heartbeat. David McBride of the Ontario Police Department. Editors note: WECT is not naming the other two correctional officers as they have not been charged with any crime. Over the past four years, the Division of Prisons has: We educate, train and do everything possible to keep contraband out. [44], In June 2015, the Tabor-Loris Tribune reported that an officer was being investigated striking a person in the road. "[25], Some negative publicity was reported during this period by officers during this period were charged with committing theft,[26][27] and, in an unrelated case, a different officer was charged with dealing drugs, although not in the prison. This may be called Tools or use an icon like the cog. 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. Ive got a recording of his heartbeat . State prison leaders say they are holding many hiring events and partnering with schools and military bases to fill jobs. A correctional officer was in handcuffs Friday afternoon, charged with trafficking synthetic cannabinoids inside Tabor Correctional Institution. Meggan Callahan was killed there - allegedly by an inmate who beat her to death with a fire extinguisher. The state must pay a fee to the counties to house these inmates. Those officers must cover two shifts and a number of them are off, sick or on vacation at any given time so only a fraction of the total staff was likely available to work the day shift on April 26. That works out to about one officer for every 29 inmates. I dont understand how thats happening. I got a call from the prison that said that he was in the hospital, in the ICU, Pressley said. Investigators then interviewed Thompson and another officer working his same shift. Due to a backlog in counties jails and crowding in other North Carolina state prisons,[2] the state of North Carolina began construction on Tabor Correctional Institution (TCI) in May 2006 and was completed in April 2008. Moore was serving a nine-month sentence for parole violation at the time of his death. He definitely shouldnt have had this.. 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. researches product purchases and suppliers. text: "Promote your event", This is a constant battle, fought daily. The second officer admitted she knew about Thompsons drug activity. Attorneys for Orban and Jelinek could not immediately be reached for comment. Honoring Officers Killed in 2022. She resigned last Friday. Bertie isnt the only state prison with staffing problems. 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. 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. [32] After an internal investigation lasting only a few weeks, the state found no "wrongdoing" in the fundraising effort, but halted the program, until "state prison administrators and auditors can develop formal policy guidelines for employee fundraising activities.". Thompson asked to speak to his attorney when interviewed. 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. There are no doubts drugs get into prisons despite extensive efforts to keep them out. Investigators filed a separate report for drug trafficking/smuggling following their conversation with Bullard on Nov. 18. Moreover, we are seeking to determine if the recent death of an inmate by a suspected drug overdose is related to this activity. Mobile App | Weather App | WWAYTV3 Email Sign Up, We're everywhere you need us to be. There are no national standards for minimum staffing at prisons, experts say. 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. 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. Brad Perritt has been named administrator at Tabor Correctional Institution in Tabor City. Shown are guns seized by Robeson County Sheriffs Office investigators Thursday during the search of a home on N.C. 72 East near Lumberton. But some experts interviewed by the Observer said thats a possibility. 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. . Download the WWAY News and StormTrack 3 Weather Apps on your smart phone or tablet device to receive breaking news and weather push notifications the minute it happens. This is the largest weapon seizure Ive ever seen in this county, said Robeson County Sheriff Burnis Wilkins. discovery: { Editors note: WECT is not naming the other two correctional officers as they have not been charged with any crime. It houses over 1700 mixed classification inmates. [42], In April 2015, a WECT expose showed why five officers had been terminated and also announced the retirement of Chavez. These allegations are under internal investigation as well. 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. A correctional officer at Tabor Correctional Institution is under investigation following the overdose death of an inmate there, the Tabor City Police Department reports. . The pay is low an average of the about $35,000 annually at maximum-security prisons and the work is dangerous and demanding. Copyright 2023 Three correctional officers named in two separate incident reports filed by the Tabor City Police Department have resigned in the past week. partner_name: "WWAY TV", 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. 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. The staffing shortages also put officers in danger, Smith said. element: "#evvnt-calendar-widget", I want some kind of justice for him.. 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. 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. 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. 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. The Division of Adult Correction and Juvenile Justice has named two new prison administrators. The inmate also provided a written statement that he received drugs from the sergeant, according to the report. Some correctional officers have more than doubled their income by working overtime. They stopped in Fontana, near Base Line Road and the 15 Freeway, in a commercial complex. (The sergeant) also asked another staff member to bring him his belongings from his office, officers wrote in the report. submission: { One of those officers fell and hurt her knee when she went to Callahans defense, Jernigan said. District Attorney issues statement on Tabor Correctional investigation, 3 hurt in crash involving motorcycle near Surfside Beach, Darlington fire captain recovering after cutting torch explosion, Panthers founder, former owner Jerry Richardson dies at 86, Runners arrive, prepare for Myrtle Beach Marathon, Police: 1 shot, body found in Forestbrook area, Everybody is cheering him on: Duo ready to rock and roll through Myrtle Beach Marathon, wmbf-publicfile@gray.tv - (843) 839-9623. Speaking with officers on Nov. 16, Associate Warden Jamie Bullard said he was investigating a sergeant at the prison and another inmate. Investigators spoke with an Assistant District Attorney, who requested an autopsy be performed on Goodson. [50], The first phase of the search for the replacement administrator began on 5/7/15. (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. 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. 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. Its a black eye to the law enforcement profession, Wilkins said. Many of the large maximum-security prisons such as Bertie and Lanesboro are located in rural areas, where recruiting can be difficult. But by that time, the officer was already bleeding profusely. Bullard said that they thought that (the sergeant) had brought the drugs into the prison for (the other inmate), the report states. Police were called in to investigate, with assistant from the NC State Bureau of Investigation. [1] The prison opened in 2008. Theres just a few bad apples out there, he said. category_id: null, #ThisIsThePlace. David released a statement on the situation Wednesday. 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. The incident began Saturday afternoon after the woman, who lives in San Bernardino County, left work at Ontario Mills Mall. Then the FBI stepped in. The Department has many hard-working correctional professionals and it takes staff arrests very seriously. The police department of Westminster, California recently suspended an officer caught punching a handcuffed Latina arrestee twice in the face. The ATFs database called the National Integrated Ballistic Information Network, or NIBIN, also will be used to determine if guns were stolen. Texas Department of Criminal Justice - Correctional Institutions Division, TX. 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. That investigation includes support from the State Bureau of Investigation (SBI), Maj. Russell Conway of the TCPD said Monday. The other officer on shift with Thompson had been at Tabor Correctional since June 2019. 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. Correctional Officer Wesley Thompson has been charged with trafficking synthetic cannabinoids inside Tabor Correctional Institution. Had there been more, he said, one female officer might never have been assaulted. All it would take is for five or ten guys to decide were going to take over the prison. (The sergeant) also asked another staff member to bring him his belongings from his office, officers wrote in the report. The gun was determined to belong to Orban, police said. This is usually something we see on legal mail, Wilkins said. You're tired. View Statistics for Year 2022. . [12], It cost approximately $28million to operate this prison each year[13] TCI is maintained by contract maintenance, TKC Management Services.[14]. Ontario police met with Orban and Jelinek to take a report on the missing gun. All rights reserved. [52], The third administrator was named in January 2016, Brad Perritt. 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. And this time it came up snake eyes, he said. 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 CITY, NC (WWAY) In Columbus County, an investigation is ongoing after one Tabor City prisoner died of an overdose, two correctional officers resigned, and one was arrested for.