HABERSHAM COUNTY, Ga. — A Georgia state prison employee finds herself on the other side of the law after she was accused of sneaking in contraband and trading it with inmates over a period of several months.
According to an official with Habersham County, the 26-year-old guard at Lee Arrendale State Prison now faces five charges in connection to the alleged crime, including violation of oath of office, possession of prohibited items by a state inmate and trading with an inmate without consent of the warden.
Officials said the 26-year-old allegedly entered the prison between Jan. 1 and March 12 of this year while in possession of a cell phone and an "undisclosed" amount of Newport cigarettes. She allegedly gave them to an inmate in exchange for money. She was arrested on March 13 and was booked into the Habersham County Detention Center in Clarkesville, where she was released on a $16,600 bond two days later.
This is not the first time a north Georgia jail employee has allegedly broken the law by sneaking in contraband. Stretching back to October 2023, at least eight staffers have been arrested.
Last month, a juvenile justice probational officer allegedly tried to sneak contraband into the DeKalb County jail while pretending to visit an inmate.
In January, six people -- including a food contractor, former inmate and detention officer -- were arrested and charged with allegedly trying to sneak in cigarettes, cash guns and drugs using a drone.
And last October, a correctional officer was fired and arrested after allegedly sneaking contraband into the Clayton County jail.
An 11Alive investigation earlier this year revealed Georgia’s prison system is struggling to control and protect those incarcerated in its care amidst plummeting staff levels. From detainees dying months shy of the end of their sentences to widespread contraband and systemwide staffing struggles - this is just a glimpse of the growing problem. Read the full investigation here.