10 People, Including Sheriff’s Employee, Charged In Jail Contraband Ring

April 29, 2010

Ten people, including a former detention deputy and a sheriff’s office custodial worker, are facing a variety of charges in an investigation announced Wednesday by Escambia County Sheriff David Morgan. One is accused of allowing inmate sexual relations and an inmate party to take place in the Sheriff’s Office administration building.

Tracy S. Belton, 44, a custodial worker in the detention division, is charged with aiding an escape and unlawful compensation and introduction of contraband into a county detention facility.

Deputies say Belton allowed an inmate, Lakesha Pollie to have sex in the Sheriff’s Office administrative office building near the jail while she worked on a cleaning crew. Walter Grandison, 41, was accused of paying Belton for sex with Pollie. Deputies said he is the father of her unborn child. Pollie’s boyfriend, Terrance Tillman, 35, reportedly paid Belton with a pack of cigerattes each time he visited Pollie.

Deputies also said Belton allowed her cleaning crew inmates to use the administrative building for a party, and inmates were even allowed to leave the facility for a few hours at a time for cash.

A former detention deputy, Kristopher Wade, 26, was arrested in March for smuggling a cell phone into the detention facility for $25. He now faces an additional charge of unlawful compensation.

The charges announced Wednesday by the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office included:

  • Tracy S. Belton, 44, Sheriff’s Office custodial worker in Detention Division,  aiding an escape and unlawful compensation, introduction of contraband into a county detention facility
  • Walter N. Grandison, 41, aiding an escape
  • Lakesha Sheryl Pollie, 33, two counts violation of probation, escape,  introduction of contraband into a county detention facility
  • Kristopher D. Wade, 26, introduction of contraband into a county detention facility, unlawful compensation
  • Kenneth Jerome Eriby, 19, (currently incarcerated for aggravated assault) six counts introduction of contraband into a county detention facility
  • Terrance Jeffery Tillman, 35, (currently incarcerated for narcotic violations) introduction of contraband into a county detention facility
  • Peter Foster Wahkelek, Jr., 19, (currently incarcerated for narcotic violations and violation of probation), introduction of contraband into a county detention facility
  • Tevin Errington Jenkins, 17, (currently incarcerated as an adult for aggravated assault and weapons violations) introduction of contraband into a county detention facility
  • Dondeaio Hosea, Jr., 21,  (currently incarcerated for burglary and theft) introduction of contraband into a county detention facility
  • Aqllanelia Keyiona Salter, 18, introduction of contraband into a county detention facility

Comments

15 Responses to “10 People, Including Sheriff’s Employee, Charged In Jail Contraband Ring”

  1. harley1 on May 2nd, 2010 7:32 am

    Nobody, has mentioned what to do with the offenders, other than to procecute them. Well, where do they end up?? At their former place of employment, just on the other side of the bars. What punishment is that? The problem in America is we just incarcerate people. That in itself is not punishment. We have no punishment anymore. At the very least the guilty should be severely beaten with bamboo canes, then put on a chain gang. Thats punishment!

  2. interested reader on April 30th, 2010 1:20 pm

    THANKS, Sheriff Morgan! Keep up the good work. We appreciate the effort you are making to let us live in a safer county.

  3. Thanks on April 29th, 2010 7:32 pm

    Thanks Sheriif for not hiding the acts of these indivisuals and for not hiding from this website. We all know it is not easy being in a leadersip role in this area (or we should). We also know that breaking the cycle is difficult anywhere. But, I do think you are making good progress.

    Keep it up.

  4. Parentwithabrain on April 29th, 2010 6:53 pm

    Excellent! Rather than firing and allowing them to get away with their crimes prosecute them and send a clear message!

  5. T on April 29th, 2010 12:35 pm

    Uv Gotoo B. Kiddingme …….WOW ……you said it my friend!!!
    I couldn’t have said it better.
    I wish I would have read your comment before I commented, I could have copied and pasted, as a matter of fact, I think I WILL, BUT YOU do get all the credit. THANKS!!

    I AGREE with the following:

    Huh? Only a “few” errent employees? Come now Sheriff Morgan. You have been in office too long not to know the deep extent of corruption in the ECSO. I know you inherited it, but while you were running for office, I specifically asked you about such things and even brought up the fact that many (likely half or more) of the County deptuties are arrogant, bullying, and unprofessional while dealing with the public. This doesn’t even begin to deal with barbecued videos, tazer deaths, sexual assault, etc. Just simple lack of a service attitude. You told me that the ECSO would become more service oriented, and I voted for you. You did, however, say that I shouldn’t “paint the entire Sheriff’s Office with the same brush based upon the actions of a few errant employee’s which is not indicative of the entire agency.” just like you said to Concerned below. I think you are doing a great job so far, but you need to admit just how bad it was before you took over. I realize it is a monumental task, as younger deputies are being trained by older deputies, but every time a 10 year old witnesses a deputy treating his dad, mom, brother, or whatever like a dreg of society for no reason other than he has a badge, that deputy has made a life long enemy of that child and any law enforcement officer anywhere forever. This has happened far too often around here, and continues to happen. Citizens are still afraid to speak out for obvious reasons. It is up to you Sheriff Morgan. We are counting you. Thanks.

  6. T on April 29th, 2010 12:30 pm

    WOW Mr. Morgan, if only you could be a fly on the wall with your deputies and listen to how they treat the public “humans” as we like to be called.
    Good job!
    oh and also, how disgusting to sit in a resturant only to have to listen to a group of cops talking about local people, making jokes of them, laughing, and the profanity……..sickening! BUT dare say a word to them and you could possibly end up in a cell…….sad but true……..

  7. Uv Gotoo B. Kiddingme on April 29th, 2010 12:02 pm

    Huh? Only a “few” errent employees? Come now Sheriff Morgan. You have been in office too long not to know the deep extent of corruption in the ECSO. I know you inherited it, but while you were running for office, I specifically asked you about such things and even brought up the fact that many (likely half or more) of the County deptuties are arrogant, bullying, and unprofessional while dealing with the public. This doesn’t even begin to deal with barbecued videos, tazer deaths, sexual assault, etc. Just simple lack of a service attitude. You told me that the ECSO would become more service oriented, and I voted for you. You did, however, say that I shouldn’t “paint the entire Sheriff’s Office with the same brush based upon the actions of a few errant employee’s which is not indicative of the entire agency.” just like you said to Concerned below. I think you are doing a great job so far, but you need to admit just how bad it was before you took over. I realize it is a monumental task, as younger deputies are being trained by older deputies, but every time a 10 year old witnesses a deputy treating his dad, mom, brother, or whatever like a dreg of society for no reason other than he has a badge, that deputy has made a life long enemy of that child and any law enforcement officer anywhere forever. This has happened far too often around here, and continues to happen. Citizens are still afraid to speak out for obvious reasons. It is up to you Sheriff Morgan. We are counting you. Thanks.

  8. Diddleysquat on April 29th, 2010 11:25 am

    You tell ‘em, Sheriff. Great job. Keep up the good work!!

  9. Robert on April 29th, 2010 11:23 am

    I for one have a lot more faith and respect for the ECSO than I did with previous administrations and admire them for focusing on doing things by the book. It’s easy to cave in and not put these issues in the spotlight, it’s much tougher to follow the letter of the law. Thanks Sheriff!

  10. Sheriff David Morgan on April 29th, 2010 11:07 am

    To Concerned Citizen:
    I could not agree more. However, it is not quite that easy. I must contend with both federal, state and local employment laws as well as a collective bargaining unit (PBA). I do not have the wide lattitude to “clean house and fire at will.” (And, by the way, I nor anyone else should have that authority. We have rules for a reason, to prevent abuse/abusers from running rampant.)

    So, I am in fact “putting that training to use.” How? By not taking the political route. The ‘political route’ would have been to fire these employee’s, with them knowing the threat of prosecution if they contested it. But that does not solve the problem, it just keeps it out of the public eye. You may recall the names; Dix, Sullivan, Dixon. All former ECSO employee’s that were allowed to quit, and were never investigated by the ECSO. It was only after a veritible firestorm of public critisizm were they finally referred for prosecution .

    I will not take that route. We have set a high standard at the ECSO and we will not back away from it. I hold everyone to the same legal and ethical standards. If they choose to cross that line they will face the same law that every citizen does.

    It is unfair for you or anyone to paint the entire Sheriff’s Office with the same brush based upon the actions of a few errant employee’s which is not indicative of the entire agency.

    I could not be prouder of the men and women of the ECSO. It is an honor to be allowed to serve with them.

    David Morgan, Sheriff
    Escambia County, FL
    436-9512

  11. Concerned citizen on April 29th, 2010 9:18 am

    These type incidents (abuse of power) are not a coincidence. There is an obvious lack of leadership within the ECSO and Sheriff Morgan needs to step up and get his employees in check quick. I for one am sick and tired of hearing about one of his employees breaking the laws in which we pay them to uphold every other week. I am sure you learned leadership skills while in the Airforce Sheriff Morgan, now is the time to step up and put that training to use before all respect for your department is lost!

  12. not an english major on April 29th, 2010 8:27 am

    WTG Sheriff Morgan! I guess they all thought they would get away with their actions. Monetary compensation for allowing people to have sex? Hmmm that sounds like a pimp to me! Running a prostitution service out of the jail in the admin building, oh what a party!

    I agree watchman, time to clean ‘em out!

    Thanks to Sheriff Morgan a few more entered the court system, may the court system give them their just desserts!

  13. Bob on April 29th, 2010 8:22 am

    Cannot even imagine someone that would sell out for a pack of cigarettes. Cheap is not getting low enough to describe this situation.

  14. A Watchman on April 29th, 2010 7:24 am

    Way to go Sheriff Morgan !

    Clean ‘em out!

    Glad we got you cleaning our county up. Thank you.

  15. Oversight on April 29th, 2010 5:56 am

    This is inexcusable and disappointing, but with an agency as large as the sheriff’s office, there’s bound to be a few who cross the line. And I’m glad to see that the sheriff is making public these corrupt employees. For others who would consider this type of activity, ask yourself is your job and integrity worth a few bucks from a convicted criminal?

Written by William Reynolds · Filed Under News