Seven South Carolina prison employees were charged amid a handful of investigations to weed out those who allegedly smuggled contraband into state prisons, had sex with inmates or engaged in other illegal activities, the state’s attorney general announced last week. pass.
“We have continued to focus on the problems caused by mobile phone smuggling within prisons with corruption, financial crimes and drug trafficking, but now we have allegations involving the victimization of a child within the walls of the SCDC,” said Republican South Carolina Attorney General Alan. Wilson said in a press release last week. “We are committed to demanding severe accountability for such alleged abuses.”
Wilson detailed three recent investigations into state prisons that resulted in nine people charged, seven of whom worked for the state Department of Corrections.
The individuals were indicted by a state grand jury on crimes ranging from alleged criminal sexual conduct with a minor to drug trafficking.
“The combination of public corruption and cell phone smuggling has contributed to violent crimes, drug trafficking, child sex crimes and other crimes against our citizens,” Wilson said.
Operation Clean Sweep, one of three investigations into alleged prison corruption, at Lee Correctional Institution, found that inmate Jacob Lance allegedly used a contraband cell phone to encourage his girlfriend, identified as Abbygale Alexandria El-Dier , to record himself, supposedly, sexually abusing his little daughter and send her the images.
Inmate Jacob Lance allegedly used a contraband cell phone to encourage his girlfriend to record herself sexually abusing her young daughter and send him the images. The South Carolina Department of Corrections, Lance and El-Dier, were indicted on five counts of criminal sexual conduct of a minor in the first degree, 10 counts of criminal sexual exploitation of a minor in the first degree and one count of conspiracy . Simpsonville Police
Lance reportedly obtained the cell phone from prison employees.
“I’ve seen a lot of things,” state corrections director Bryan Stirling told the outlet, “[but] “I will never, ever forget that poor child’s face.”
Both Lance and El-Dier were charged with five counts of first-degree criminal sexual conduct of a minor, 10 counts of first-degree criminal sexual exploitation of a minor and one count of conspiracy, according to the state attorney general.
Two Lee Correctional Institution employees were charged with facilitating smuggling of a cell phone, The State reported.
Lance said he got the cell phone from the prison guards. AFP via Getty Images
The attorney general’s office said the state is seeking a sentence of life in prison without parole for Lance.
The two prison employees, identified as food services manager Brian Keely and Lt. Brittany Welch, were arrested during a surprise raid of the prison by law enforcement.
Investigators said Keely’s cell phone showed evidence of him making deals to sell contraband cell phones to inmates and he was allegedly found to be in possession of materials depicting sexual assault against children.
He also allegedly had a stash of cell phones and drugs hidden in his coffee shop office, El Estado reported.
Welch is accused of tipping off inmates about searches for contraband and allowing inmates to freely share contraband.
Two food service workers were arrested for illegally selling contraband phones to inmates. AP
Another operation, dubbed “Guardian,” led to the indictment of three other prison employees at McCormick Correctional Institution for “their alleged involvement in the illegal trade of contraband within the prison.”
Five other employees of the men’s prison were indicted in July on charges ranging from a guard allegedly having sexual relations with inmates, misconduct in office and money laundering.
The third operation, titled “Block Party,” led to the indictment of two correctional officers at Broad River Correctional Institution in connection with smuggling contraband into the prison.
During that operation, investigators discovered 600 grams of methamphetamine, 200 grams of cocaine, as well as marijuana, tobacco and cell phones, according to the Prosecutor’s Office.
The two prison employees, identified as food services manager Brian Keely and Lt. Brittany Welch, were arrested during a surprise raid of the prison by law enforcement. WIS TV
Authorities explained last week that contraband cell phones are a major threat to prison systems and can lead inmates to run criminal networks behind bars.
“We had the largest RICO case in the history of the state being taken out of a prison,” Stirling said, according to WRDW. “We have had veteran suicides. A corrections officer was shot in his home. “We’ve been telling them this is a problem over and over again.”
“The most dangerous thing an inmate can have is a cell phone,” Stirling added, according to The State.
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