Jail Guard Accused of Taking Bribes

Middlebury, Vermont – December 9, 2008

A former guard at the Addison County Jail is under investigation for allegedly taking bribes.

Vermont’s federal prosecutor is not naming the guard, but says the guard arranged conjugal visits for inmate Frank Sargent. Authorities say he bilked a woman out of hundreds of thousands of dollars and used the conjugal visits to talk her out of even more money and influence her statements to authorities.

Sargent pleaded guilty to paying the guard to arrange the visits.

source

http://www.wcax.com/Global/story.asp?S=9493068&nav=4QcS

Release mixups at jails led to firings

CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Regional Jail Authority director Terry Miller told legislators Monday he fired the administrator of Southern Regional Jail and four jail officers in October because of two incidents in which inmates were mistakenly released from jail.

“If you erroneously release somebody, that’s a serious offense, and I take it seriously,” Miller told a legislative oversight committee on regional jails and corrections. “What if a murderer gets out, or a sexual offender, and commits another crime?”

Breaking News: Deputies resign after review of inmate escape

TAVARES – Two Lake County detention deputies have resigned rather than fight the sheriff’s decision to fire them for allowing an inmate to steal cell keys and escape, a sheriff’s spokesman said today.

Deputies Keith Totten and Lynn Salvas were found to be neglectful in their duties which allowed inmate Jason Dennis, 25, to escape Nov. 17 from the sheriff’s substation in Clermont. Dennis, who had been arrested on charges of violating a domestic-violence injuction and illegally possessing a firearm, was re-captured a day later.

“We have a zero tolerance for anything less than 100 percent security within our jail or other holding facility,” Lake County Sheriff Gary Borders said. “This type of incident cannot and will not be tolerated under any circumstances.”

Sheriff’s spokesman Sgt. John Herrell said an internal investigation determined that Dennis seized keys to the facility while he was outside his cell attempting to make a phone call. The keys had been left unsecured in the booking area.

Herrell said Totten and Salvas, veteran detention deputies who were on duty at the time, were responsible for the security of the inmate.

SOURCE: http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/local/lake/orl-lake-county-deputies-120808,0,4511843.story