A Dyer County correctional officer has been charged with attempting to introduce a variety of drugs into the county jail, authorities reported yesterday. Tyrell Wallace, 40, was accused after an internal investigation conducted by the Dyer County Criminal Investigation Division. According to the WREG coverage of the incident, Wallace was fired from his position and is facing multiple charges, including possession with intent to distribute substances such as fentanyl, methamphetamine, crack cocaine, Suboxone strips, and marijuana.
The sheriff's office underscored the seriousness of the situation, highlighting that the 26 grams of fentanyl involved were enough to be potentially lethal for hundreds of individuals. In a statement obtained by FOX13 Memphis, the authorities also revealed the seizure of a loaded 9mm pistol and 40 rounds of ammunition. Reflecting the gravity of the situation, Wallace’s bond was set at $100,000 and he has since been released from jail.
Further insights into the case were gained from a social media post by the Dyer County Sheriff's Office. The post describes how Wallace’s alleged misconduct was swiftly dealt with by Sheriff Jeff Box who terminated his employment. “We condemn the actions of Wallace and we hold our correction officers to the highest professional standards. They are an important part of our criminal justice system by, keeping violent offenders off the streets,” Sheriff Box stated in a post on Facebook.
The case has garnered the attention of the 29th District Attorney General Danny Goodman, who will be in charge of prosecuting the matter. Sheriff Box also praised his investigative team and emphasized continuous efforts to eliminate contraband from entering the correctional facility. “Our Criminal Investigative Division will continue to investigate similar reports of this type of activity and our leadership team will continue to evaluate all safeguards and security measures to eliminate the flow of contraband into the correctional facility," according to the information released by the sheriff's office.
