LCSD officer fired for cell phone incident

By Ben Lockridge / staff writer

May 10, 2008 12:35 am

— A correctional officer with the Lauderdale County Sheriff's Department has been fired for allegedly passing a cell phone to an inmate at the county jail, Sheriff Billy Sollie said Friday.
Sollie discussed the internal investigation that led to the officer's termination during a news conference on Friday.
"An unfortunate incident has happened inside our facility," Sollie said. "We've had an internal investigation being conducted by members of the Lauderdale County Sheriff's Department. We've made a motion before the circuit court to have a probable cause hearing required by state law. If the judge rules in our favor we will be processing this individual with felony charges on delivering contraband to inmates."
Sollie said a cell phone was delivered to an inmate's cell inside the facility. The department will not release names until a judge rules in favor of a hearing and official charges are filed, the sheriff said.