Former Detention Officer Lauren Sandefer Arrested for Giving Vodka to Inmate

A former Harris County Sheriff's Office detention officer faces charges after authorities say she gave vodka and tobacco to a jail inmate.

Lauren Sandefer, 25, is charged with bringing a prohibited item into a correctional facility. She was arrested on Monday and bail was set at $5,000.

The sheriff's office says Sandefer was hired in April of 2013 and fired in February 2014 for smuggling contraband into the jail last September. Officials say she also let an inmate use her cell phone.

Authorities say Sandefer is the third former Harris County Jail detention officer charged with a crime this year for delivering contraband to inmates.

"My message has been clear all along. Anyone who commits a crime while guarding others accused of crimes will face the same brand of justice as the inmates," Sheriff Adrian Garcia said. "That is one of the many ways we run the nation’s third largest jail as a public safety facility accountable to the taxpayers and other law-abiding members of the public."

The department's Office of Internal Affairs is continuing to search for any evidence of delivery of jail contraband or other illegal conduct by staff.

"Fortunately more than 99 percent of our employees are honest, diligent and hard-working," Garcia continued. "It’s just a shame that the actions of a miniscule number of people put their co-workers' hard-earned, positive reputation at risk."

The sheriff's office says jail employees are no longer allowed to bring personal phones into the jail without special permission, nor can they bring in heavy bags such as backpacks.

Detention Officer Keenon Daniels Arrested For Delivering Contraband to Inmates

A Smith County detention officer has been arrested for delivering contraband to inmates at the Smith County Low Risk Facility.

Sheriff Larry Smith said on Friday morning around 11, 24-year-old Keenon Daniels Olison, Jr. was arrested by the Smith County Sheriff's Office. The investigation into Olison has been going on for the past six weeks when they received a tip that he was smuggling controlled substances into the low risk facility.

Sheriff Smith placed Olison under surveillance after information was received by the Special Services Unit showing that the officer was responsible for smuggling illegal contraband and controlled substances into the facility.

"We will not move a problem, we will not transfer a problem. We will not just simply terminate somebody's employment who has done something unlawful. We will conduct a criminal investigation, we will for the district attorney's office or the U.S. Attorney's Office or whichever one is applicable to prosecute that individual to whatever the statutes allow," said Sheriff Smith.

After his arrest on Friday, Olison was charged with multiple counts related to possessing a controlled substance in a detention facility with intent to deliver the controlled substance to an inmate. He was charged with delivery of contraband to inmates.

Olison's arrest affidavit says he took marijuana into the Smith County Jail on Friday. Surveillance video also showed him providing a tobacco product to an inmate. He then gave a cell phone to that same inmate.

“When I ran for this office, I said that the Smith County Sheriff's Office would clean its own house and that each employee will be held to a higher standard than the general public, and that’s exactly what we continue to do as we have exhibited today,” said Sheriff Smith.
Olison has worked at both the low risk facility and the Smith County Jail. He was originally hired on May 20, 2012. Sheriff Smith said that Olison had disciplinary actions in his personnel file related to not following protocol and direction, but nothing criminal until now.

"One of the promises was that we were going to be held, not only law enforcement officers and the detention officers of the Smith County Sheriff's Office to a higher standard than the general public, and this is just a continuation of that," added Smith.

The Sheriff’s Office has been conducting this investigation in conjunction with the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the Smith County District Attorney’s Office.

Deputy Tyrone David Arrested for Smuggling Drugs

A man sworn to protect the public and safely escort prisoners has been arrested for allegedly smuggling drugs into the provincial jail system.

Tyrone David was picked up Friday morning after he allegedly met up with a woman at a strip mall parking lot in the 300 block of Pleasant Street in Dartmouth. The meeting and alleged transaction took place just before 9 a.m., police said.

Both the 40-year-old deputy sheriff, who was in uniform at the time, and the woman left in separate cars. She was later arrested after she was pulled over by police on Chadwick Street.

The deputy sheriff was taken into custody in the parking lot of the Dartmouth provincial courthouse, not far away.

On Friday evening, police sent out a news release saying they had charged Mr. David, 40, with 12 counts of possession of narcotics for the purpose of trafficking.

Kathleen Kierans, 22, has been charged with 12 counts of trafficking.

Justice Minister Ross Landry said Friday that the sheriff, who’s been on the job about five years, is on paid administrative leave.

Police wouldn’t reveal what kind of drugs were allegedly exchanged during the meeting, but sources told this newspaper that a quantity of cocaine and cash were involved, and were passed from the woman to the deputy sheriff.

Sources said the woman is the girlfriend of well-known crime figure Jimmy Melvin Jr. but police would not confirm that report.

Mr. Melvin didn’t appear in court Friday morning but his lawyer, Josh Arnold, made an appearance on his behalf.

Mr. Melvin’s case was on the docket Friday so a date could be set for his preliminary hearing on charges of possessing a weapon for a dangerous purpose, violating a weapons prohibition order, being in a vehicle that contained a prohibited weapon and possessing ecstasy and an anti-anxiety drug. He also faces charges of breaching bail conditions from a previous release.

It’s not believed Mr. Melvin, who’ll be back in court on Nov. 18 for the preliminary hearing along with two co-accused, will face any charges in connection with Friday’s arrests, the sources said.

Mr. Arnold said Friday that he couldn’t comment on any connection between the 22-year-old woman who was arrested and his client. He said he hadn’t heard anything about the deputy sheriff’s or the woman’s arrest.

Halifax Regional Police spokeswoman Theresa Rath said officers didn’t randomly stumble across the drug deal.

"This investigation occurred over a series of days. We were acting on information that we had received," she said Friday.

Ms. Rath wouldn’t reveal what makes police think the drugs were going to the Central Nova Scotia Correctional Facility in Dartmouth.

"We can’t get into why we think that, but suffice it to say that based on the evidence that was seized, we believe that the drugs were destined for transportation into the corrections system. Our investigation will continue (looking) as to where (the drugs) may have been destined and to whom."

She said police haven’t received information to suggest that any other deputy sheriffs were involved.

Mr. Landry called the situation very disappointing.

"It’s always a concern when one of your employees is alleged to be involved in illicit activities," he told reporters at Province House. ""It raises a concern."

He said the positive in the situation is that drugs were kept out of the Burnside jail.

"That’s our goal and if any of our employees are involved in drug usage, we have a zero tolerance policy and we adhere to that strongly."

Aside from the police force’s investigation, Justice Department officials are also conducting their own probe.

Mr. Landry said officials believe it is an isolated incident. But Liberal justice critic Michel Samson said there have been lots of stories about drug use in prison, so he thinks the Justice Department investigation should be fairly broad.

"It might be time for the minister to take a look and determine exactly how is it that illegal drugs continue to get inside of our correctional facilities in light of the protocols that one would think are in place to prevent that from happening," said Mr. Samson.

Sources from the jail have said drugs regularly find their way inside, especially on court days, weekends and holidays.

One inmate from the Burnside jail was taken to hospital in the past month suffering from an overdose. Sources said he overdosed on ecstasy but his life wasn’t in danger.

Former Crown attorney Anne Calder is awaiting trial dates on charges of trying to pass drugs to a client at the Central Nova Scotia Correctional Facility on July 14.

She faces several charges, including trafficking in prescription painkillers, possession of the painkillers for the purpose of trafficking and possession of marijuana for the purpose of trafficking.

Mr. Samson and Tory MLA Cecil Clarke, a former justice minister, said Friday’s arrest is an unfortunate blemish on the dedicated workers in Sheriff Services.

Mr. Clarke said he expects swift, strong action.

"An example needs to be made and a message needs to be sent," Mr. Clarke said.

The province can’t tolerate its employees taking drugs into jails, whether or not they’ve been coerced.

No one from the union representing Sheriff Services workers was available for comment Friday.

Meanwhile, it’s not clear whether the cases against Walter Allan Gerrior and Kerry-Anne Zwicker, co-accused with Mr. Melvin, will be able to proceed Nov. 18 because they don’t have lawyers yet. Mr. Gerrior, like Mr. Melvin, has been in custody since they were arrested in September, and will be back in Dartmouth court Tuesday for a bail hearing.
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http://www.cbc.ca/canada/nova-scotia/story/2009/10/09/ns-deputy-sheriff.html

Officer Dan McDow Investigated for Bringing Contrabrand Across Border

A San Luis Obispo police officer, currently under a criminal investigation for attempting to bring contraband across the border from Mexico, has faced allegations of elderly abuse in the past, CalCoastNews has learned.

Interviews with sources in the know say San Luis Obispo Police Chief Deborah Linden has either mishandled or ignored reports that officer Dan McDow, one of two San Luis Obispo officers suspended as a result of the border investigation, had attempted to take advantage of an elderly woman suffering from dementia.

In early 2007, 87-year-old Margaret Bazzani, known to suffer from dementia and auditory delusions, called police to her home in San Luis Obispo repeatedly for various reasons, including hearing strange noises outside the residence.

McDow responded on one occasion and subsequently began making regular visits to her home.

Following a call from a Bank of America employee concerned when McDow brought the wheelchair-bound woman to the bank to look into the contents of her safety deposit box, Bazzani’s children started to question the officer’s intentions, her son said.

Shortly afterwards, the widow’s son, Leonard Bazzani, discovered a gold coin worth about $1,000 had disappeared from his mother’s safety deposit box.

Family members began asking questions and learned that the patient’s caregivers had called county Adult Protective Services officials at least three times to report that McDow appeared to be taking advantage of the elderly Bazzani.

Leonard Bazzani then took his concerns to Linden, who had police administrators look into the son’s allegations.

“They said it was his business what he (McDow) does after hours,” Leonard Bazzani said. “We than hired (San Luis Obispo) attorney Hank Mott, who said it sounded like elder abuse.”

On July 30, 2007, Mott sent the following report of possible elder abuse to Linden:

“Dear Chief Linden,

“I represent the adult children of Margaret Kelly Bazzani, a widow age 87 years.

“Mrs. Bazzani suffers from dementia and is under medical treatment. She is receiving around the clock assistance from caregivers….

“A member of your department, officer Dan McDow, has been visiting with my client’s mother. Mrs. Bazzani has advised my clients that McDow brought a person to her home to prepare a will for her, to handle her finances, and do her taxes.

“Mrs. Bazzani has told numerous persons that officer McDow has proposed marriage to her. McDow is approximately 50 years younger than her. Adult Protective Services has been called numerous times by Mrs. Bazzani’s caregivers due to their concerns that McDow is taking advantage of her.

“McDow was recently overheard by her caregivers, on Mrs. Bazzani’s speaker phone, advising Mrs. Bazzani she should not have a CAT Scan because her family was trying to prove she was crazy and not to allow Adult Protective Services in her home in the future.

“Mrs. Bazanni is easily taken advantage of and I request that you immediately investigate the actions of McDow so that an 87 year old widow suffering from dementia is not taken advantage of by one of your own officers.”

In response to the letter, Linden ordered McDow to stay away from the elderly woman, adding that she would look into the allegations of elderly abuse.

But since the 2007 order to stay away from the woman, Linden has refused to make public the department’s inquiries into McDow’s relationship with Margaret Bazzani.

“Linden said they had conducted an investigation, but it was a personnel issue, and as such, it was not public information,” Leonard Bazzani said. “She said McDow would be fired if he contacted my mother again.”

In late 2007, a few days after Margaret Bazzani passed away, someone broke into her home by kicking in the door. However, once inside, the thief was able to open, with a key, a locked cabinet in which the elderly woman kept thousands of dollars in a vase.

Aside from the contents of the vase, and a picture of Leonard Bazzani, removed from a frame, nothing else was taken from the home during the burglary, the son said.

City officials did not respond when asked why it took a letter from an attorney to get Linden to keep her officer away from Margaret Bazzani. In addition, city officials have not yet responded to a FOIA request for information about the department’s investigation into the allegations of possible elderly abuse.

On Sept. 15, immigration officials detained McDow and fellow officer Armando Limon at the San Ysidro port of entry because of suspicions that the officers were attempting to transport contraband into the United States.

Authorities at the San Ysidro port of entry have not said what kind of contraband was involved and what prompted U.S. border inspectors to inspect the officers and the vehicle they were in.

"Officers Limon and McDow are on paid administrative leave and have been since September 16, 2009, the day the City learned of their detention by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement,” city attorney Jonathan Lowell told CalCoastNews in an e-mail.

Corrections Officer Michelle Hung Charged with Helping Inmate Escape

A corrections officer has been charged with helping an inmate escape, deputies said.

The Osceola County Sheriff's Office has charged corrections officer Michelle Hung with 13 felonies for her involvement with Angel Santiago's attempted escape from the Osceola County Jail on June 22.

Detectives said Hung and Santiago had developed an elaborate plan for Santiago's escape.

Hung was charged with filing a false police report after detectives showed her evidence, which contradicted her statements about the escape attempt, the sheriff's office said.

In addition, Hung was charged as principal to all of the felonies Santiago was charged with, including kidnapping, armed robbery, aggravated assault, attempted escape, two counts of introducing contraband into a detention facility, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, impersonating an officer and resisting with violence.

Hung is also charged with two counts each of depriving an officer of means of protection and unlawful use of a two-way communication device.

Officer Charged IMAGES:

Correctional Officer James Sheerin Arrested for Smuggling Contraband into Prison

Police arrested Wabash Valley Correctional Facility officer for attempting to smuggling contraband into the prison.

Officials said staff members stopped and searched 25-year-old James Sheerin, of Terre Haute.

Sheerin allegedly was hiding cell phones in a drink cup when he came into work. He tried to enter the correctional facility through the visitor processing center with 250 grams of marijuana.

Sheerin also had six cell phones with chargers, 75 grams of tobacco and a video game player. Officials searched his car and found an additional 18 grams of heroin and even more cell phones.

Officials arrested Sheerin after monitoring him for more than a week.

"Justice will run it course and the Wabash Valley Facility will continue to do its job protect the public and the vast majority of the folks do a very credible, very honest, very professional job," public information officer Rich Larsen said.

Sheerin is facing felony charges of possession of heroin, cocaine and marijuana, along with trafficking with an inmate. A court date has not yet been set.

The attempted smuggling has resulted in two housing units at the Wabash Valley Correctional Facility to be put under lockdown pending an investigation.
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Information: http://www.wthitv.com/dpp/news/local/news_wthi_carlisle_officertrafficking_200906041129