Lolita Jessica Turner, a 41-year-old correctional officer at the James Hood Detention Facility in Perry County, has been charged with eight counts related to introducing contraband into the jail and obstructing law enforcement operations. The charges were filed in a criminal complaint on Nov. 25 in the District Court of Perry County. The allegations span several months, with incidents reported between May and October of this year.
The first charge involves an alleged incident on May 23, 2024, where Turner is accused of bringing cell phones and drugs into the detention facility. These items, according to the complaint, are classified as contraband that could potentially be used as tools to facilitate escape or as weapons within the jail. This charge is categorized as promoting prison contraband in the first degree.
The second charge alleges that on June 6, 2024, Turner introduced pills and liquor into the jail. Both items fall under the Alabama Controlled Substances Act, making their possession and distribution within a detention facility a violation of the law. This charge is also categorized as promoting prison contraband in the first degree.
The third charge, dated June 9, 2024, involves the introduction of marijuana into the facility. This incident marks the first of two allegations related to smuggling marijuana. The fourth charge, which occurred on September 6, 2024, repeats the allegation that Turner smuggled marijuana into the detention facility. Both incidents are classified as promoting prison contraband in the second degree.
On August 11, 2024, Turner allegedly brought cigarettes into the jail, leading to a fifth charge of promoting prison contraband. Cigarettes are prohibited items within the facility, and their introduction is considered a violation of jail regulations and state law.
Two additional charges stem from an incident on October 24, 2024. In the first of these charges, Turner is accused of using the jail’s intercom system to warn inmates of an impending search by law enforcement officers, including K-9 units. This warning, according to the complaint, allowed inmates to hide or dispose of contraband before the search began. This action forms the basis for the charge of obstructing governmental operations.
The second charge from October 24 alleges that Turner tampered with physical evidence. By providing a warning to inmates, she is accused of interfering with an official proceeding, which led to the destruction or manipulation of evidence that could have been crucial to the search.
The final charge relates to an incident on August 1, 2024. Turner is accused of smuggling pills and liquor into the facility, both of which are controlled substances under Alabama law.
This charge, like the earlier charges involving contraband, is categorized as promoting prison contraband in the second degree.
Turner was placed in custody at the Perry County Jail with a bond set at $90,000.
