Sheriff: 6th person arrested in contraband conspiracy at Calhoun Co. Jail

CALHOUN Co., Ala. (WBRC) - Six people, including a corrections officer, face charges in a contraband conspiracy investigation at the Calhoun County Jail.

Calhoun County Sheriff Matthew Wade said the suspects in the case are an officer, inmates, significant others, or family members. They are all charged with Promoting Prison Contraband 2nd Degree and Conspiracy to Commit Controlled Substance Crime.

This is the full press release from Sheriff Wade:

In my six years as Sheriff of Calhoun County, I have arrested five corrections officers. Until now, I have arrested the sixth corrections officer for a contraband conspiracy in the county jail. Pierre Bernard Jones had worked for the Calhoun County Jail for approximately one month. During that time, he developed a conspiracy to bring drugs into the county jail in exchange for money. In today’s world, it is easier than ever to electronically transfer money. Jail staff received information that Jones was possibly bringing in contraband and we began an investigation. During the course of the investigation, we discovered the following individuals were conspiring together to introduce drugs into the county jail. Some were inmates and others were significant others and family members. Our investigation produced enough evidence to arrest the following individuals. Jones’ month long employment with the Sheriff’s Office did a lot of damage to the integrity of the position of corrections officer and the facility as a whole. This type of event occurs on occasion just as we have just seen play out in another Alabama county. While I do not like or approve of what Jones did, I promise to always treat them the same way I would with any other person that breaks the law with an arrest. I will also always be transparent with these incidents for two reasons. First, the citizens must have faith in their Sheriff as an honest broker, and second, I want this to be a deterrent for any officer that is contemplating this type of criminal behavior. I won’t tolerate or hide it. I will always bring them to justice as I have done in the past.