TABOR CITY, N.C. (WECT) - An inmate at Tabor Correctional Institution died of an apparent suicide, according to the N.C. Department of Public Safety. Meggan Callahan was killed there - allegedly by an inmate who beat her to death with a fire extinguisher. 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. Tabor Correctional Institution is a great place to work but there are daily situations that arise that may jeopardize a persons life whether it be staff or inmates. McCoy heard the officer curse and saw her struggling with an inmate. Some correctional officers have more than doubled their income by working overtime. }); All rights reserved. EOW: Monday, January 10, 2022. If you need assistance accessing or viewing any material on the Public Inmate Locator website, please contact CDCR's Identification Unit at (916) 445-6713, Monday through . Three correctional officers named in two separate incident reports filed by the Tabor City Police Department have resigned in the past week. Officials say that Malek Moore, 29, was found unresponsive in his cell shortly after 4:30 a.m. Wednesday. Select the option or tab named Internet Options (Internet Explorer), Options (Firefox), Preferences (Safari) or Settings (Chrome). Texas Department of Criminal Justice - Correctional Institutions Division, TX. [48] Because of these charges, the sergeant resigned her position. category_id: null, July 17, 2022. The original maximum number of inmates housed at the prison was 1,500. Its a black eye to the law enforcement profession, Wilkins said. Christopher Hilburn of the Tabor City Police Department Friday afternoon. 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. During the course of the investigation and search a quantity of cocaine, fentanyl, suboxone strips, methadone, prescription pills, drug paraphernalia, U.S. Currency and 99 firearms were located and seized, according to the Sheriffs Office. Two other correctional officers at the Institution have resigned, but they do not face any charges at this time. 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.. He resigned from his position on Monday. The inmate also provided a written statement that he received drugs from the sergeant, according to the report. An investigation into the officer was ongoing at the time of the news report, although Department of Corrections Spokesman Keith Acree said "Most often when employees are caught doing this and charged, they resign," Acree was unable to say how many employees resigned after being charged with drug offenses, although the news report reference two other recent issues with prison employees. Detectives are concerned that there may be other victims. The stamp, if used on mail sent to inmates, restricts law enforcement personnel and prison workers from opening mail prior to the delivery to inmates, Wilkins said. The San Bernardino County District Attorneys office has not received the case yet from Ontario police, and has until Tuesday to file charges, spokeswoman Susan Mickey said. But he said that Gov. Inmate. Bullard named warden at Tabor Correctional Institution While this is a criminal investigation, the District Attorneys Office is coordinating closely with leadership at the Department of Public Safety to ensure that they have sufficient information to make important personnel decisions. NC sergeant killed by inmate worked in understaffed prison | Charlotte (Deuce Niven, TLT). North Carolina Prison guards are paid at the lower end of the national scale,[17] although North Carolina Governor Pat McCrory proposed in April 2015 significant increases in officer pay, although the raise may be partially based on the custody level of the prison. I got a call from the prison that said that he was in the hospital, in the ICU, Pressley said. Its as simple as that.. A spokesperson for DPS provided the following statement when reached for comment: The Department of Public Safety has zero tolerance for any staff involved in any illegal activity and is cooperating fully in this ongoing investigation. You can only spread people so thin, she said. Editors note: WECT is not naming the other two correctional officers as they have not been charged with any crime. } Law Enforcement Line of Duty Deaths in 2022 - The Officer Down Memorial Many of North Carolinas maximum-security prisons are operating dangerously short of staff, current and former correctional officers told the Observer. Editors note: WECT is not naming the other two correctional officers as they have not been charged with any crime. [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. Tabor City Correctional Institution - Wikipedia By DEUCE NIVEN tribdeuce@tabor-loris.com A correctional officer at Tabor Correctional Institution is under investigation following the overdose death of an inmate there, the Tabor City Police Department reports. I dont understand how thats happening. Bullard also said the sergeant left work early that day after he was questioned and had not returned to work since. Investigators filed a separate report for drug trafficking/smuggling following their conversation with Bullard on Nov. 18. November 24, 2021 WWAY News , In June 2014, a separate facility was added to the prison complex, housing an additional 252 minimum custody level inmates[16] making it one of the largest prisons in the state. Jelinek is a four-year officer with the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. All rights reserved. Enter https://www.corrections1.com/ and click OK. Copyright 2021 WECT. But if another staff member had been standing beside the officer that morning, theres a possibility (Mosley) would have kept walking, McCoy said. Copyright 2021 WECT. According to state law, correctional officers cannot have been convicted of misdemeanors for three years. Do Not Sell My Personal Information. Officer charged with trafficking drugs at Tabor Correctional At Bertie, Callahan was responding to a fire set inside a trash can on the evening of April 26 when an inmate beat her to death with the fire extinguisher shed brought to douse the flames, state officials say. One Polk officer made $29,800 in salary in 2015. He called me that Friday morning about 9:30 he called me and he was fine; he talked, we talked for the whole time the call would let us talk. He is being held on suspicion of carjacking and as an accessory to the crime, and is being held in lieu of $1 million bail.. We'd love to hear from you. Guns will be held for evidence until the trial, said sheriffs Maj. Damien McLean. He is assigned to the Chino Institute for Men. There were 99 guns and enough fentanyl to kill thousands of people recovered from the home of a former Tabor Correctional Institution corrections officer. orientation: "portrait", Corrections1 is revolutionizing the way in which the corrections community finds relevant news, The staffing shortages also put officers in danger, Smith said. Its not safe, McCoy said. Contact the writer: 714-704-3764 or ghardesty@ocregister.com, Westminster detective arrested in brutal rape, Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window), Three women arrested for alleged fraudulent federal student loans from Fullerton college, Tom Sizemore, Saving Private Ryan actor, dies at 61, 7 house fires prompt fears about gas meters buried in snow. News - Page 11 - Tabor-Loris Tribune We was really hoping for him to be home for Thanksgiving.. The pay is low an average of the about $35,000 annually at maximum-security prisons and the work is dangerous and demanding. publisher_id: "7056", Officials say that Malek Moore, 29, was found unresponsive in his cell shortly after 4:30 a.m. Wednesday. Weve got a lot of folks who are not staying with us.. Prison leaders say they have begun assigning new officers career readiness coaches, who provide pointers on dealing with inmates, keeping themselves safe and attaining career goals. While the Ontario officers were interviewing Orban and Jelinek, they received word about the sexual assault involving a firearm in Fontana. [1] The prison opened in 2008. [55], In June 2017, an inmate assigned to a work detail at a second prison escaped. The Ontario officers, however, felt their statements were inconsistent and somewhat suspicious, police said. But, not all law enforcement officers should take on the bad image produced by some officers, he said. WESTMINSTER An off-duty Westminster police officer and an off-duty state corrections officer were arrested Saturday night in connection with a carjacking, kidnapping and rape of a 25-year-old restaurant employee in Ontario, police said. Prison leaders plan to examine many factors, including staffing patterns, Guice said. (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. [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.". Dustin Goodson is the inmate who died from the suspected drug overdose at Tabor Correctional. Mobile App | Weather App | WWAYTV3 Email Sign Up, We're everywhere you need us to be. Ex-NASCAR Driver Bobby East Fatally Stabbed at California Gas Station Two new prison managers appointed | NC DPS One of those officers fell and hurt her knee when she went to Callahans defense, Jernigan said. "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. Lexipol. They stopped in Fontana, near Base Line Road and the 15 Freeway, in a commercial complex. I think if I hadnt gotten over there in time, (Mosley) probably would have cut her throat, McCoy said. Stephen Jacobs Named Warden at Tabor Correctional Institution [29] During this administrator's time, the small annex housing up to 252 minimum security inmates was opened. As a part of the North Carolina Department of Public Safety Division of Prisons, it opened in 2008, and housed, as of July 2014, a maximum of 1,752 inmates,[15] providing over 500 jobs to the economically depressed area. Search by Year. There were children in the home and most of the guns were loaded at the time of the search, the sheriff said. North Carolina. Tabor Correctional inmate dies of apparent suicide Roy Cooper has asked him to review the circumstances to ensure this doesnt happen again.. #ThisIsThePlace. Three correctional officers resign amid drug smuggling allegations and suspected inmate overdose death, 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. The other suspect is Jeff Thomas Jelinek, 30, an officer with the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, said Sgt. The Charlotte Observer. "Warden Bullard is an exceptional, insightful leader with deep knowledge of the prison and how the prison system . map: false, They contended those numbers constitute sensitive public security information.. There are no doubts drugs get into prisons despite extensive efforts to keep them out. Three correctional officers named in two separate incident reports filed by the Tabor City Police Department have resigned in the past week. April 5, 2010 at 2:00 p.m. WESTMINSTER - An off-duty Westminster police officer and an off-duty state corrections officer were arrested Saturday night in connection with a carjacking, kidnapping . Its so dangerous, Gravitte 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. Nine of the 99 weapons recovered were stolen, he said. We absolutely and fully support prosecution of those responsible. The state has recently made offers to about 400 officer candidates, so the vacancy rate will likely drop, Guice said. (The officer) said that on that Tuesday night Thompson told her that he had a large amount and needed to get rid of it as soon as possible.. The FBI foiled the 2014 plot . State prison officials refused to say how many staff were on duty the day Callahan died. The former NASCAR driver Robert East, known as Bobby, was fatally stabbed on Wednesday in Westminster, Calif., the authorities said, and the suspect in the stabbing was killed on . (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. Look for more on this story as events warrant and in the next Tabor-Loris Tribune in print and online. 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. 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. Working at Tabor Correctional Institution: 7 Reviews - Indeed Orban was booked on suspicion of kidnapping, false imprisonment, rape and carjacking. 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. A correctional officer was in handcuffs Friday afternoon, charged with trafficking synthetic cannabinoids inside Tabor Correctional Institution. All rights reserved. Former Tabor Correctional officer jailed after sheriffs deputies seize drugs, 99 firearms three Robeson County detention officers in April, Lumber River United Way holds Annual Day of Caring, PSRC leaders continue defense of El Curriculum, NC report shows increase in student misconduct in 2021-22, Innovation, 3D printing saves UNCP swim meet, Pirates hit as Register hits 200 career wins, Big inning sends Pirates baseball past Hoke. Inmates were charged with assaulting officers on more than one occasion. Copyright 2023 Corrections1. Bertie now houses about 935 inmates. Three North Carolina prison officers resign after inmate overdose Educator Davis given Tabor Medal at TC chamber fete, Bog, broadcaster get historic recognition, US jet shoots down Chinese balloon in sight of the TLC, Loris singer brings sax to the CCMAs; Kindred honored, too, Arrests in Dothan murder include juvenile, victim IDd, Two sought in Soles murder case in custody Wednesday. View Statistics for Year 2022. . The FBI was conducting an ongoing investigation into the incident as of November 2015. David released a statement on the situation Wednesday. There are no national standards for minimum staffing at prisons, experts say. 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. But some experts interviewed by the Observer said thats a possibility. . The Division of Adult Correction and Juvenile Justice has named Stephen Jacobs as the new warden of Tabor Correctional Institution in Tabor City. Five inmates facing possible charges after inmate attacked at Tabor Statewide, about 16 percent of officer positions are vacant. Then the FBI stepped in. Investigators spoke with an Assistant District Attorney, who requested an autopsy be performed on Goodson. Dustin chose to be a donor because thats just the way he was he was always helping people and ultimately, I think he saved like five lives with his donations, Pressley said. (The sergeant) also asked another staff member to bring him his belongings from his office, officers wrote in the report. Jelinek stood by and watched as Orban pointed the gun at the victim and ordered her to drive away, police said. Pros Great job security, benefits, salary, etc. Bertie isnt the only state prison with staffing problems. State figures. . A short time later, Orban and Jelinek were positively identified as the suspects responsible for the carjacking, kidnap and rape, Ontario police said in a statement. Go. [11], Before its official opening, the prison was used in various training exercises. [20] Kenworthy had been named as Administrator prior to the prison's opening on June 29, 2007.[21]. That investigation includes support from the State Bureau of Investigation (SBI), Maj. Russell Conway of the TCPD said Monday. It has become the most comprehensive and trusted online destination for correctional professionals nationwide. LUMBERTON A former Tabor Correctional Institution officer has been charged with multiple drug offenses after a Thursday search of his home yielded enough fentanyl to kill thousands of people . Anyone with additional information or any information regarding drug activity in Robeson County is asked to call the Robeson County Sheriffs Office Drug Enforcement Division at 910-671-3191 or email [emailprotected], Reach Jessica Horne at 910-416-5165 or via email at [emailprotected], Address: One of the most dangerous items recovered was the stamp with the words attorney-client privilege, McLean said. She then called Ontario police. The death of Rodriguez Jr., who left his job at California State Prison-Sacramento in. virtual: false, 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. This is the largest weapon seizure Ive ever seen in this county, said Robeson County Sheriff Burnis Wilkins. The officer added that she discouraged Thompson from bringing drugs into the prison and denied being a look out for Thompson when questioned about her appearing to be so in the video footage. [37], WECT reported that in late November 2014 a prison guard was arrested by the FBI for conspiring to rob an armored vehicle. The smuggling of drugs into prisons is a nationwide problem, not just a North Carolina problem. Prisons has a zero tolerance for the introduction of contraband to any prison from any source. He was arrested and charged with trafficking synthetic cannabinoids into the prison. Mother, son charged with child sex crimes", "Correctional officer accused of having sex with an inmate", "Tabor Correctional inmate escapes from work detail", "State auditor finds problems in Tabor Correctional travel records", "Police: Correctional officer drives into two CFCC students", "UPDATE: Stabbed home invasion suspect is a prison employee", North Carolina Correctional Institution for Women, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Tabor_City_Correctional_Institution&oldid=1112935200, Buildings and structures in Columbus County, North Carolina, All articles with bare URLs for citations, Articles with bare URLs for citations from March 2022, Articles with PDF format bare URLs for citations, Articles with dead external links from February 2022, Articles needing cleanup from September 2022, Articles with bare URLs for citations from September 2022, Articles covered by WikiProject Wikify from September 2022, All articles covered by WikiProject Wikify, Infobox mapframe without OSM relation ID on Wikidata, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 28 September 2022, at 21:35. evvnt_require("evvnt/discovery_plugin").init({ It was first opened in 1984 and came with 240 inmates; however, over time, the facility has become even bigger with the capability of housing around 1752 inmates. Honoring Officers Killed in 2022. The judge will determine what is done with the firearms after the trial. A Tabor Correctional Institution offender with pre-existing medical conditions, who tested positive for COVID-19, has died at a hospital. Meggan Callahan was killed there allegedly by an inmate who beat her to death with a fire extinguisher. That investigation includes support from the State Bureau of Investigation (SBI), Maj. Russell Conway of the TCPD said Monday. Weve got to find a way to retain the people who work for us, Guice said. The Tabor Correctional Institution was constructed on a 37-acre site in east Tabor City, Columbus County. Published: Nov. 23, 2021 at 1:28 PM PST COLUMBUS COUNTY, N.C. (WECT) - The state Department of Public Safety has launched an internal investigation after a Tabor Correctional inmate died of a suspected overdose amid allegations of correctional officers smuggling drugs into the prison. Thompson asked to speak to his attorney when interviewed. The Department has many hard-working correctional professionals and it takes staff arrests very seriously. The incident began Saturday afternoon after the woman, who lives in San Bernardino County, left work at Ontario Mills Mall. When you see news happening, report it! Copyright 2023 We live, work and play right here in the Cape Fear. partner_name: "WWAY TV", Orban then fled, leaving his service weapon behind and still in the victims vehicle, police said. Orban approached her as she was getting into her car in the mall parking lot and forced himself into the passenger seat, police said. Three correctional officers resign amid drug smuggling allegations and There is no prior relationship between the victim and the suspects, McBride said. The arrest can affect the image of all law enforcement personnel to the public, he said. About 60 inmates were also near Callahan when she was attacked on April 26, Jernigan said. 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 Department of Public Safety has zero tolerance for any staff involved in any illegal activity and is cooperating fully in this investigation. 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. All rights reserved. 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. [1] The prison opened in 2008.