A Cocke County jail employee faces charges after authorities say he brought contraband into the facility and gave it to an inmate, Sheriff C.J. Ball said Thursday in a news release.
Ball identified the now fired employee as David Kirkland of Newport. Kirkland, arrested Thursday, faces charges of bringing contraband into a penal facility, conspiracy to bring contraband in and official misconduct.
An inmate and another person also have been charged in the case, according to the sheriff.
"This is a serious issue that we unfortunately face in correction departments, but we will do our job to arrest and terminate employees that bring drugs or any illegal contraband into the facility," Ball said in a statement.
The other people charged were identified as Cherokee Cobb, 26, of Newport and inmate John D. Dorsey Jr., 31.
Incidents occurred Tuesday and Wednesday, according to records supplied by the Sheriff's Office.
Authorities had been alerted by jail personnel that Cobb and inmate Dorsey tried to get drugs into the jail during a visitation Tuesday. Video shows what happened this week, according to the Sheriff's Office.
During a visit, Cobb told Dorsey she had "the items" with her. He waved her to go to a bathroom to drop the contraband.
Investigators found the package in the bathroom trash can. Inside they found a cell phone, a baggie containing methamphetamine, orange strips of suboxone and a syringe, according to reports.
Agents continued to monitor Dorsey's conduct and jail calls he made from the jail.
Later, Cobb told him in a call that she was waiting for a ride and had items that Dorsey wanted. A blue vehicle pulled up to the jail, Cobb got out, while on the phone, and walked into the jail lobby. She then went back to the vehicle, telling Dorsey a deputy had spotted her and was "probably running her name."
Still talking with Dorsey on the phone, which authorities were monitoring, Cobb described continuing in the vehicle down River Street to a dumpster.
"(Dorsey) then asked if the package is under the dumpster, (Cobb) states the package was too big to put under the dumpster and that it is sitting behind it where 'he' could find it," an incident report states.
Authorities watched on jail cameras as Kirkland walked about 11:04 p.m. from the dumpster. He went to Dorsey's cell. He and another jail officer opened the door and Kirkland "then walks into the cell and makes contact with Dorsey and the exchange of the package occurs."
When confronted this week, Kirkland told county narcotics agents he'd brought the package into the jail and gave it to (Dorsey), "but thought the package contained only tobacco."
