John Jefferson
Background: Fulton County Jail (WSB). Insets, clockwise from top left: Breaisha Tate, LaQuna Ballard, Anizya Silas, Regina Harris (Fulton County Sheriff’s Office via WSB).
Four jail security contractors face charges in a contraband smuggling conspiracy that included cellphones, a chicken pot pie and sex with an inmate at the beleaguered Fulton County Jail in Atlanta.
LaQuna Ballard, 34, Regina Harris, 26, Breaisha Tate, 26, and Anizya Silas, 24, each face charges of conspiracy and providing prohibited items to an inmate, the Fulton County Sheriff’s Office said in a news release. The four women were employed by a jail contractor and were working on the sixth and seventh floors at the lockup.
“These women unfortunately chose to be on the wrong side of the law by fraternizing with residents they were entrusted with watching over,” said Fulton County Sheriff Pat Labat in a statement. “They will now have to face the consequences for the crimes they are accused of committing. Our employees and contractors alike are held to a high standard of integrity.”
Ballard is accused of sending explicit photos and videos to an inmate and of accepting at least two payments from two different residents for cellphones and cigarettes, officials said.
Tate also faces charges of improper sexual contact, authorities said. She’s accused of having sex at least three times with a resident and bringing in at least six cellphones and other contraband to an inmate, for which she received payment, the Sheriff’s Office said.
Silas also faces an additional charge of providing an inmate with an unauthorized staff meal. Citing court records, local ABC affiliate WSB reported it was a chicken pot pie. The station reported the four suspects were terminated from their jobs.
Fulton County Jail is the subject of a U.S. Justice Department investigation into living conditions, medical and mental health care, use of excessive force, and accusations of violence, federal officials have said.
The probe was launched last year after allegations surfaced that an inmate died covered in insects and filth. As justification for the investigation, the DOJ also noted that there have been credible allegations made that “the Fulton County Jail is structurally unsafe, that prevalent violence has resulted in serious injuries and homicides, and that officers are being prosecuted for using excessive force.”
Labat has blamed understaffing. Last month, the county commission decided to renovate the jail for $300 million, WSB reported.
The Fulton County Jail is also where the first former president of the United States to face any indictment surrendered on Aug. 24, 2023, on racketeering (RICO) charges, culminating in the release of Donald Trump’s iconic mug shot.
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