Fulton County's jail has become the focal point of a hard-hitting contraband probe, leading to the recent arrests of a former nurse contractor and a detention officer sergeant. The arrests, carried out by the Fulton County Sheriff's Office Jail Investigations Unit (JIU), were part of an ongoing effort to root out illicit activities within the correctional facility, according to FOX 5 Atlanta.
The former nurse, identified as 48-year-old Juanita Calloway, once employed by NaphCare, is facing charges that include four counts of conspiracy to commit a felony and four counts of possession of prohibited items by an inmate or in the alternative, providing these items to inmates. Additionally, there's Lorna Heath, a 57-year-old Detention Officer Sergeant with the Fulton County Sheriff's Office, charged with unauthorized possession of a prohibited item by an inmate; and a violation of oath by a public officer. These details have emerged from both FOX 5 Atlanta and 11Alive.
Calloway's employment at NaphCare was terminated in 2023, subsequent to the discovery of an alleged inappropriate relationship with a jail resident. The current investigation uncovered a conspiracy involving the smuggling of cell phones, a plot that implicated Sergeant Heath earlier in the year and has led to the charges at hand.
As part of the large-scale JIU operation, at least one current inmate has been hit with conspiracy to commit a felony, possession of prohibited items by an inmate, or for funneling prohibited items to other inmates. "The diligent work of our Jail Investigations Unit is to be commended," Sheriff Patrick "Pat" Labat stated, according to FOX 5 Atlanta. "These arrests are sending a message that criminal activity will not be tolerated in our facility. The JIU will continue to go after these bad actors."
These arrests are not isolated incidents but follow in the wake of earlier apprehensions. Four contractors, employed by Strategic Security and working as security officers at the jail, also faced charges as part of this comprehensive contraband investigation. This broader case encompasses allegations around the smuggling of various forbidden items into the Fulton County Jail, such as cell phones, and cigarettes, and involves accusations of improper conduct between jail staff and the resident population. This information was detailed in reports from both FOX 5 Atlanta and 11Alive.
