KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — A former deputy jailer with the Bell County Sheriff's Department was charged with sexual misconduct after having sex with a woman inmate on Aug. 29, 2016.
Joshua Berry, 34, was originally charged with third-degree rape after an investigation by the Kentucky State Police. He pleaded down to sexual misconduct, court records show.
Berry was sentenced to 12 months in prison, according to court records. However, the records show he was granted a suspended sentence with two years of unsupervised probation -- meaning he will serve no time in prison so long as he completes his probationary period.
According to KSP, DNA evidence sent to the Central Forensic Lab in Frankfort confirmed that Berry was involved in the incident.
According to Trooper Shane Jacobs, it happened with a woman inmate in an elevator. He said that Berry had moved to Tennessee and was arrested. KSP was able to get extradition to bring him back to Kentucky.
