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JACKSON –Another search of staff in the Mississippi Department of Corrections’ crackdown on contraband has led to the arrest of a correctional officer trainee and the seizure of numerous contraband items at the Mississippi State Penitentiary at Parchman.
Shanquella Jones, 24, of Clarksdale, is charged under the prohibition statute for alcohol beverages, drugs, weapons, and other contraband in the correctional system. She was booked into the Sunflower County Jail after her arrest late Sunday night; her bond was set at $25,000.
Prison officials believe the items found in Jones’ vehicle after she reported to work were intended for a specific inmate. They include cellphones, cigars, bottles of juice mixed with alcohol, a pocket knife, cigarettes, cigarette lighters, a pair of hair clippers, and toothbrushes, The inmate’s name is not being disclosed because of the ongoing investigation.
Jones was hired in July. She faces termination.
“The Mississippi Department of Corrections wants quality individuals with integrity and good moral character,” Commissioner Pelicia E. Hall said. “I convey this message each time I address a graduating class, as I did in the class in September when this individual graduated. But there are some things you just can’t teach. I am continually amazed that we have staff that want to risk their reputation and freedom for the sake of fast money.”
A conviction under Mississippi §47-5-193, which Jones is charged, is a felony punishable by a prison sentence of three to 15 years and possibly a $25,000 fine, or both.
