Former correctional officer pleads guilty to smuggling drugs
Sep 14, 2009 | 2233 views | 3 
| 8 
| 
| 
| 8 | |
“Unfortunately, sometimes correctional officers are no different than any other profession,” St. Clair County District Attorney Richard Minor said.
Jerry Willett, 37, of Gadsden, pleaded guilty to promoting prison contraband second-degree.
St. Clair County Assistant District Attorney John DeMarco said Willett was discovered with approximately 170 grams of marijuana taped to his legs during a random employee search on March 21, 2008.
“This is the third correctional officer found guilty of attempting to smuggle drugs into the St. Clair Correctional Facility in the past two years,” he said.
Two former state correctional officers were sentenced to a 5-year-split sentence in June 2008.
A St. Clair County jury found both Tommie Borden, 35, of Gadsden, and Mark Clark, 28, of Anniston, guilty of promoting prison contraband second degree. The correctional officers smuggled a small amount of marijuana into the St. Clair Correctional Facility. St. Clair County Circuit Court Judge Charles Robinson sentenced Borden and Clark to serve two years in prison, followed by three years of probation.
St. Clair County Assistant District Attorney Joey Stevens said Monday’s guilty plea was the result of the outstanding work of the senior staff at the St. Clair Correctional Facility.
“Like all law enforcement officers, Jerry Willett took an oath to protect and serve the community,” Stevens said. “In this case, he only served himself.”
DeMarco said it was a sad day for law enforcement everywhere.
“This was a violation of the public’s trust,” he said. “Hopefully this will send a strong message that this conduct will not be tolerated at our state correctional facilities.”
Robinson set Willett’s probation hearing for Dec. 15.
Promoting prison contraband second-degree is a Class C felony, punishable by one year and one day to 10 years in prison.
“When you have someone like Jerry Willett, who chooses to violate the law instead of upholding it as he swore to do, you are left with this result—a felony guilty plea,” Minor said.
Post Your Stuff
Follow Us
|
|
Daily Home comment section
Aug 28 09 - 01:41 AM
I do understand your frustration with what is happening in Pell City. However, you should read the qualifications for a Police Officer and the same for a Corrections Officer. I think you will see there is a very big difference. First, and most important, corrections officers are NOT sworn to "PROTECT AND SERVE". Are there bad cops? Of course, but to lump ALL police officers into one corrupt category is as unfair as lumping all TV repairmen into one category as con men, ripping off their customers. I am a cop and very proud of my profession and I work hard to do what is right, just like many others that I work with. Please rethink your comment and I think you will see that not all are bad. Also, it is time to let the Puppy Mill issue rest. The lady pled guilty, and she did so of her own free will. To imply that the Talladega Police Department is corrupt because of that is unfair. The men that I work with at TPD work very hard for very little and it is disheartening to be constantly berated. How would you like to come to work everyday to people calling you names and talking about how sorry you are. I ask you .. could or would you do it? It takes a very special person to be a police officer. For some it is a paycheck but for most it is a calling. These words were no written out of anger but just concern that impressionable young people might read the negative comments about police officers and form an opinion that all police officers are bad. You know as well as I there are more good officers than bad. Thank you.