Five Vance County detention officers face misdemeanor indictments over allegations that they allowed and facilitated a fight between two female inmates at the county detention center. District Attorney Mike Waters said no one was seriously injured, while acknowledging he was not familiar with all the circumstances of the case.
The indictments, handed up Monday, name Jessica Alston, 40, of Warrenton; Kristy Troutman, 42, of Oxford; Malajah Daniels, 35, of Henderson; Bontheir Francis, 52, also of Warrenton; and Jabari Davis, 30, of Henderson. The Raleigh News & Observer reported that the indictments accuse the officers of willfully neglecting or refusing to perform their duties by allowing and facilitating the altercation. A spokesperson confirmed that the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation is leading the inquiry.
The indictments also allege that the officers failed to protect inmates in their custody, causing injury to the public, the News & Observer reported. Each defendant faces a Class 1 misdemeanor. Under North Carolina General Statutes § 14-230, that charge applies when a public officer willfully omits, neglects or refuses to discharge the duties of the office and no other penalty is specified. The News & Observer reported that Vance County Sheriff Curtis Brame was unable to speak when a reporter called.
A Jail Already Under State Scrutiny
The indictments land amid mounting state concern over conditions at the Vance County Detention Center. State regulators have issued their third formal warning to the Vance County Sheriff's Office in less than two years over safety and operational problems at the jail, according to the UNC School of Government Criminal Law Blog. In an October 2 letter, the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services said jail leadership had failed to address longstanding concerns despite repeated directives and increased scrutiny following the June escape of two inmates.
The blog reported that the concerns included staffing shortages, overcrowding, problems with the building and life-safety systems, and incomplete records. In early October, the jail housed 136 inmates and had 24 vacant staff positions. Regulators also cited reports of completed and attempted escapes, alleged physical and sexual assaults, and other critical incidents as signs of ongoing safety concerns.
County officials are renovating the existing jail and pursuing a new facility, but regulators said immediate improvements were still needed, according to the UNC School of Government blog. The indictments come amid those continuing concerns about conditions at the detention center.
Inspection history and the June escape
North Carolina requires jail inspections at least twice a year, and records show the Vance County facility was inspected three times in 2025—in March, June and December, according to WRAL. Earlier, an April 1 state letter ordered the jail population reduced from more than 140 to 20 after the state identified serious risks and deficiencies, Axios Raleigh reported. The June escape was a separate incident from the fight underlying the officers’ indictments. CBS 17 reported that Michael Miles and LiShawn Knott escaped from the Henderson detention center on June 3 and were later arrested at a home in Asheville.
Earlier Case Involving A Former Captain
The new charges are not the only recent criminal case tied to the Vance County jail. Former detention captain Shannon Charles Holley was indicted and arrested on April 13 on a series of sex-crime charges, including assault on a female, second-degree forcible sexual offense and second-degree forcible rape, involving a female detainee at the facility, according to Carolina Public Press.
Holley began working at the detention center in August 2025 and resigned on March 21, Carolina Public Press reported. The outlet said the State Bureau of Investigation opened an inquiry after the sheriff learned of an allegation against Holley and promptly referred it to the agency. The SBI is also leading the investigation into the five officers.
The News & Observer described its report on the five officers as a developing story. Neither the officers nor their attorneys have publicly commented, and it remains unclear whether any of them have faced discipline or other personnel action in connection with the allegations.
