FAYETTEVILLE (KFSM) — A former jailer at the Washington County Detention Center is accused of trying to smuggle cigarettes and dip into the jail for an inmate, according to a probable cause report.
Donnie Worley, 41, of Huntsville was arrested Tuesday (Nov. 7) in connection with furnishing prohibited articles, a Class C felony.
Worley was fired Tuesday, according to Kelly Cantrell, sheriff’s office spokeswoman.
Worley had worked at the jail about six months, Cantrell said.
After hearing a rumor Worley was bringing contraband into the jail, a deputy interviewed Worley Tuesday in a secured area of the facility and found he had a pack of cigarettes and a two cans of unopened Longhorn dipping snuff.
Worley first denied that he brought the items for an inmate, saying they were his and he forgot to take them out of his pocket, according to the report.
Deputies searched Worley’s vehicle and found a note with directions to an address and a phone number that matched.
After confronting Worley again, Worley said he brought the items in for an inmate he felt sorry for.
Worley said he went to the address on the note and collected $20, bought the tobacco and planned to give the change back. Worley said he wasn’t getting paid to bring in contraband.
In a post to Facebook, the sheriff’s office said it had more than 300 employees “and almost all are hard-working, professional employees who come to work every day and ‘do the right thing.'”
“But you can’t control the choices individuals make, and it takes just one to shed a bad light on everyone else.”
Worley was being held Wednesday (Nov. 8) at the Washington County Detention Center with no bond set. He has a hearing set for Friday (Nov. 10) in Washington County Circuit Court.
