In less than a week, authorities in Cumberland County have arrested two corrections officers accused of misconduct on the job. Both face serious charges in unrelated cases.
Last week, an officer was charged with smuggling drugs in to the jail, and a second officer was accused Tuesday of having sex with an inmate.
Cumberland County Sheriff Mark Dion said he is disappointed over what he called "two corrupt corrections officers" at the Cumberland County Jail.
"It's a terrible feeling. I mean, we take an oath. The community grants us a responsibility and, more importantly, they trust us to do the job," Dion said. "We're supposed to be on the right side. So, when we discover our own is on the wrong side of the law, it's discouraging, it's embarrassing."
Gerald Gilbert Jr., 41, of South Portland, faces two charges of gross sexual assault following an internal investigation by the sheriff's office. Gilbert is accused of having sex with a female inmate at the Cumberland County Jail.
Dion said the same female inmate was receiving drugs from Toby Post, 38, of West Gardiner, who was charged last week with two felony counts of trafficking in prison contraband. Investigators determined Post was the middleman in delivering drugs to an inmate.
Dion said he has enough evidence to recommend to county leaders that both men lose their jobs.
"They have a common link with that particular inmate; however, they weren't necessarily working in concert," Dion said.
"We're supposed to be on the right side. So, when we discover our own is on the wrong side of the law, it's discouraging, it's embarrassing."
"The men and women who work in that facility are disgusted that two of our own have fallen to that level, but bad apples don't spoil the bunch," said Will Russell, president of the correction officers' union. "The men and women who work in that facility hold their heads up high, and rightfully so."
"Should there be some policy changes? We don't re-write the code for traffic court just because there are accidents out there and people are speeding. We just pay more attention and we will," Dion said.
Post is free on bail and has been placed on paid administrative leave pending an internal investigation.
Gilbert, who has been a corrections officer at the jail since January 2007, is on paid administrative leave pending a pre-termination hearing. He was released from jail on unsecured bail of $5,000. News 8 spoke with Gilbert at his home Tuesday night but he had no comment.
Both Gilbert and Post are due to be arraigned in court on March 10.
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