Kevin Childers Jr., a former Lincoln County jail contract employee, was sentenced to 51 months in prison by U.S. District Judge Henry E. Autrey for his involvement in a drug smuggling operation that brought fentanyl and methamphetamine into Lincoln County Jail. Childers, 38, along with inmate Steven Williamson Jr., 37, and Williamson’s girlfriend, Brittany Spangler, 35, had previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute the drugs, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office.
The operation took place between June 27, 2022, and October 6, 2022. Childers managed the jail kitchen, Williamson worked there as a trustee and inmate, and Spangler assisted from outside the facility. Williamson and Spangler were sentenced earlier this year, with Williamson receiving 51 months and Spangler 37 months in prison.
The case shows the legal consequences of drug trafficking and breaking trust in a jail. The FBI and Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Christine Krug handled the prosecution.
