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Employee Arrested For Smuggling Items Into Prison
May 8, 2013
A Century Correctional Institution employee has been arrested for allegedly smuggling banned items into the facility.
Sara Elizabeth Lowery, age 30 of Flomaton, went through a routine check as she reported for work. The check revealed Lowery had five packs of unopened cigars, eight AA batteries, two cell phones wrapped in M&M paper, three cans of smokeless tobacco. two lighters, five activation cards, two packs of colored pens, two packs of single cigarettes and $100 worth of $20 bills, according to an Escambia County Sheriff’s Office employee. All of the items were retained by the prison.
Lowery was booked into the Escambia County Jail one felony charge of smuggling contraband into prison. She was released from jail on a $2,500 bond.
Comments
61 Responses to “Employee Arrested For Smuggling Items Into Prison”
Those of us who work behind the fence have every right in the world to judge this woman. She put everyone of her coworkers at risk even if the contraband wasn’t harmful. Inmates see things a lot differently than normal folks. With the amount of contraband she had on her points to the fact this was diffently not her first time. No one brings in that much their first time. It started with one item and then grew from there. Like another poster had mentioned about “becoming A Duck”, I am sure beyond reasonable doubt she is the classic case. If the inmate or inmates did not like what she brought in they could have escalated into physical altercation and then the other officers are then put into unnecessary harm. So all fellow fence warriors have the right to judge and as for me “I find her guilty and want the maximum sentence. To all my fellow brothers & sisters stay vigilant!
Kelly – sorry, but with probable cause (being found with contraband is certainly probable cause) you CAN be stripped searched — to include body cavity search. Yes, as gross as it sounds — I suspect that some of the contraband in this case was hidden in places left unsaid…
Definitely not a little “mistake” or first time offense. This chick was a pro and probably made a nice sum of money from her CRIMES. Yes, she is a criminal — and should experience some time “on the other side” for a spell.
.@sister please both of you do not talk to anyone about this most of all your sister needs not to talk to anyone she worked with at the prison I never took anything in but I have went up against DOC and the best is to stay quite till this is over. As far as it getting embarrassing like some CO had to say… Well no they can not strip search you!!!!at the prison you have a right to get a lawyer. Just know you did wrong but you are not the only one. And truth is is that she is better off working elsewhere.
If I was the sister of the woman arrested and who had criminal proceedings pending,im not sure i’d be on here admitting my sister’s guilt and reason for doing it. You’re worried about people judging her and you’ve already sealed her fate. Wth???
So many of you kind hearts say we all should not “judge her”.
Yes, we should judge her and all others that break our laws.
The possibility of public humiliation and “being judged” by friends, neighbors and relatives, etc. is the very first line of order in a civilized society.
But the “kind hearts” have decided it to be more proper to hide law breakers behind block walls.
Our jails would not be so full if the there was more fear of being judged and humiliated.
Also the state pays inmates medical bills & they don’t want diseases passed around plus not sterile. The needles are made out of lil pieces of wire for ex: the springs out of ink pens & to the comment posted by layh, you sound like you know a lot, so figure this out, there are all kinds
Yes everyone is guilt free.
@Sister
I understand that you feel you have to stand up for your sister but just like you I have to stand up for my husband, who works as a CO and risk his life everyday. We all know that this was not the first time your sister had smuggled things into the prison and God knows what else she had brought in to the immates that may have jeopardized my husband and the other men and women staff members just to make “a little extra money”. By the way she was raking it in, with what that stuff goes for in prison, so it was not “a little extra money” she was making. It’s so easy to be sorry and say you sorry when you get caught. So as far as Sara being humble and honest; she was not at first. It wasn’t until they kept searching and found more things is when she decided to be honest. After all what choice did she have. It could’ve been a little more embarrassing for Sara and I’m sure she knows what I mean by that, so I will not mention it. Anyway I do feel I have the right along with her ex-coworkers, prison staff and their family members to voice how we feel. So when you jeopardize the life of someone I love it makes it my business. With that being said, even though Sara didn’t take into consideration the safety of my husband I will still forgive and pray she has learn a huge lesson from this.
Tattoos are not allowed in prison for two primary reasons: 1. Unsanitary conditions allowing the passage of infectious diseases and 2. Gang affiliations and symbols. Tattoos are a great way to advertise.
“Like the rest of the honest state employees” tee hee, some people know nothing about working for the state….married to it or not.
its no jail time its just going to be probation
When did using good judgment become a sin? I’ve personally known 2 women who are in the graveyard by not judging their killers for their past behavior. But hey, if it gives you a warm and fuzzy about how you’re not “judgmental”, so be it. :-/
@ Wife of CO, Im not into tattoos but I am curious as to why they are prohibited. I would presume infection and blood pathogens. Just curious.
It appears that many prisoners are covered with them. I recently was eating in a local diner when a couple sat down at the table next to me and I suddenly found myself looking at the illustrated man. He even had JH Tatts on his face. I requested a go box.
I would suggest deep deliberation before going under the tattoo needle.
puddin, colored ink is for tattoo purposes & they are illegal to do in prison & therefore it is illegal to posses tattoo kits, tobacco is illegal inside now, inmates can’t even buy it @ commissary, since state went tobacco free. Now to inmatecrussader, there are not as many innocent as you say, if there is a slight chance, like 30 years ago maybe, but not this day & time, I would be getting a different lawyer, but I will add that is how some guilty get off maybe with time there maybe computer errors with people entering information wrong & inmate getting released from their word, technicality.
Yo Sister…
Hate to tell ya…but by committing the crime, she has to live with what other think, regardless if it makes it more difficult. She was in a position of trust…a dangerous position where people lives could depend on her. If you have been corrupted by the inmates…then your co-workers can not longer trust you to respond correctly if something happens. Some may…others may not, due to helping certain inmates! You may not like what people say…that makes it more difficult…but guess what…it is gonna happen. She broke the trust of a lot of people that depend on each other…for a few extra bucks! It is not what people say that is making it difficult…it is the fact she committed a crime and it is now public. She is the one that has made if difficult!!! For herself and her family!!!
I was referring to the false accusations that was made about it being over a possible “inmate relationship/affair”. I never said that what she did wasn’t wrong, because it was wrong and illegal. Doesn’t matter why she did it, it was wrong, we know that! I don’t like what she did, nor agree to her reason why she did it, she could have found another way, but what’s done is done. She made a bad decision and she has to deal with the consequences and she understands that. She is dealing with enough right now, she doesn’t need all of you making it more difficult than it already is.
@bystander,
You obviously don’t work in corrections. This woman will never work in corrections again, and if she does, she won’t be trusted because of her past “mistakes”. She was groomed by the inmate population to do what she did. I’m not judging, just stating the facts. I have worked in corrections for the past 15 years, and I sometimes work with former CO’s who are now inmates. Guess why that happened? They were compromised by inmates and then JUDGED by the system to be quilty and given a sentence for whatever length of time. People can and do judge, especially when it is warrented.
It is sad that this woman threw away her job or career for whatever reason.
The stigma of a felony convicton will make obtaining any form of employment difficult at best. Possible prison and certainly supervised probation.
I would advise others who would stray from procedure, to consider her condition.
I do not judge as we have all done wrong in our past at one point in time or another. BUT… Smuggling items into a Prison where numerous people already risk their lives at everyday just by being there for work is totally UNcalled for! I have family that works there and certainly do NOT want to get a phone call that something happened to them because someone wanted to make extra money. Go get another job!!! Not endanger everyone else around you as well!
Bad decision or not I work at the prison and I’m glad she got caught this time because I’m sure this wasn’t the first time she has done this..I don’t feel sorry for her one bit there are other ways to make extra money besides putting my life and my co workers life in danger
The Judgement ….in this case… has nothing to do with God….It has to do with the Law, and the Courts……
@ bystander…..my bad decisions never got me arrested =)
It’s a simple matter. There is a right and there’s a wrong and she knew what she was doing was wrong. She took an oath to not do those kinds of things so now she will pay for it. I just wonder how long she has gotten away with this kind of activity.
Jeopardized he lively hood for some stupid something like this. It really is sad how some people either het caught up in the moment or get that greedy for money and attention.
My problem with all of this…..it seems that inmates are going to get the bad rap for this one even if they were not involved. Why do people label all inmates as bad or scum when in fact there are quite a few innocent people locked up. Ms. Lowery, who I do not know, may or may not be a God loving, God fearing and all around nice person but she still committed a crime. She admitted it and the evidence proves she did it. Give her her day in court like everyone else but do not put all the blame on the inmates. It takes two and she could have said no. If you all want something to complain about then complain about why your tax dollars are being spent to keep men and women locked up who are not guilty of their crimes because attorneys, police officers or detectives are afraid that it will be found out that a lot of cases were mishandled………
colored pens? Ok, I get some of the other stuff being contraband. But what are colored pens going to do? Maybe they will draw themselves to death? Ink for tatoos maybe?
Ah well, she goofed, shes paying for it. Those people are in there for a reason. You cant trust them. Now she knows. Shes not the first employee to make this mistake, and she wont be the last.
Once again, family members and drinking buddies come here to defend honor by misquoting that one section of the Bible they seem to vaguely know.
Jesus figuratively compared people to dogs and swine. We are commanded to make righteous judgments about people…to know them by their acts. Saying someone is a great person is just as much a judgment as calling somebody a crook.
Bible stuff aside…Mama says, “If you don’t have anything good to say about somebody, don’t say anything at all.”
@Sister
The items she SMUGGLED in were CONTRABAND which means they were ILLEGAL for inmates to have, otherwise they (prisoners) would have just gone to the prison commissary and picked up what they needed instead of persuading your sister to BREAK THE LAW by bringing these UNAUTHORIZED items into the prison.
@ sister, she’s not being falsely accused, she had items hid on her person, that’s also what the inmates say that they were falsely accused & she could have put others in danger & what next was on her list if she had not got caught, also if she wanted extra money she should have gotten a 2nd or 3rd job like the rest of honest state employees. By the way some c o’s have children that depend on them to come home & raise them & not be cheated a mom or dad because of some selfish individuals.
If you have never made a bad decision then you can judge her. If you claim you havent then you are a liar. compassion goes a long way
1. I think every employee working in a correctional facility, be it a county jail or state prison, should read the story “Downing a Duck.” This is a story written from the perspective of an inmate and describes the process of getting staff members to do things they wouldn’t otherwise do. This process does not happen overnight and can sometimes take months, It all depends on how long it takes to develop the duck. Good read if you are interested in reading it, maybe I can post it on this website…. I am a formal Field Training Officer and this was mandatory reading for my rookies.
@SISTER…Regardless of how innocent or ignorant You want to portray this person to be, have you or her ever stopped to consider how many of the other staff’s lives and well being are being jeopardized just so she can make what is expressed as that “quick come-up”? I’m just asking.
Not everyone is suited for working in corrections. The inmates know how to target staff that are likely candidates for compromise. The problem with what Sara did is that she endangered the lives of every staff member in the prison by smuggling in items that the inmates could use to circumvent security. I want to be able to depend upon my colleages to have my back. She certainly did not have the backs of her fellow staff members by smuggling in cell phones, etc. How many other items were smuggled in previously, when she did not get caught? Foolish and greedy, endangering herself, staff and other inmates by doing such a stupid thing for a little cash.
Why is it that the family members of criminals ALWAYS state that their relation is/was always such a loving wonderful person who would never harm others or do anything illegal on purpose??? Are family members that naïve or do/have they just always looked away? A church going God fearing woman would NEVER have done this……..
Corrupt
I see that the family members and “religiously enlightened” crowd are well represented on this thread.
I won’t judge her…the Judge/Jury can handle that.
I WILL despise her, and others like her, for making life more dangerous in an already dangerous environment.
I WILL hope that if the court finds her guilty, she is punished severely.
I DO fret about a society that seems to believe that almost any crime, no matter how premeditated, is “just a mistake”.
My bible reading and quoting is very limited but I believe the phrase is “Judge not lest ye be judged”. In my reality this means that only God has the right to pass judgment on our immortal souls. That being said I will tell everyone that we all make discerning judgments quite often. If as some people on this site believe that we have no right to judge then in their reality I nor anyone else would have the right to evaluate a person on any of their actions be those actions right or wrong – moral or immoral. Not only do we have a right to judge certain actions but we have a duty to do so. If we did not then how could we as a society determine who or what is good or bad for us and our children. Legally, this young lady’s fate will be decided by a judge and based on the limited information provided by the above story I will not pronounce her guilty before she has had her day in court. However, if she admitted her guilt to me as some on here have indicated that she did to them then I would not want her to babysit for me. I would be kind to her and not gossip about her but would most certainly judge her for admitted crimes that some on here have described as “mistakes”. For a person to make discerning judgments is necessary in taking stock of both oneself and others. If we did not society would be in chaos. But, as said above I nor anyone else has the right to judge an immortal soul not even our own. That judgment is for God and God alone. .
If she has admitted that she committed the crime then how is it a “false accusation.”
Sister,
You’re saying she broke the law for love of money?
Well that makes it okay then.
David for good reasons
Correction: Sara’s bond was NOT lower than the other woman’s. Her’s was $2500, the other woman’s was only $1500. The other woman’s should have been higher though since she had illegal drugs and Sara did not.
She was jus bein friendly
I am Sara’s sister and I do not appreciate ANY of you making FALSE ACCUSATIONS against her. Yes, she did wrong. Yes, she did the crime, did the time, and is dealing with the guilt and regret of this every day. She is NOT in a relationship or having an affair with any inmate!! She is in a serious relationship with a good man that is in no relation to the prison. She IS a good person and has never been in trouble before this event occured. She was just trying to make a little extra money on the side and it back-fired. Was it right? No. She feels horrible about it, but has turned this situation over to God and has asked Him to forgive her and I know He has, so no one has a right to point any fingers. No one is perfect except Jesus himself. And yes her bond was lower than the other woman because the other woman had illegal drugs, Sara did not. She was humble and honest about it.. when they found it, she admitted everything and told them her intentions, etc. and everything was handled appropiately. So mind your own business and keep your false accusations to yourself! She has always been a honest, hard-working person and the one time she got a little greedy, it back fired and now she will have to deal with a felony on her record for the rest of her life and she knows that. I forgive her and love her unconditionally and will not hold this against her, and neither should any of you!
This concerns because this contraband could have eaisly been some type of weapon. And someones family member that works in the Facility wouldn’t be coming home for supper. Think about it…
It concerns me when this type of activity happens. That contraband could have easily been some type of weapon. And somebodys family member that works here wouldn’t be coming home for supper.
If she is such a good person and knows she made a mistake then we will see her plead guilty and face the consequences ‘I bet she pleads no contest or not guilty thereby wasting tax payers money ..
That’s sad!!…..Why help out those who have hurt society so much so that they r behind bars>>???????? Guess joining them seemed like a fun idea?..lol
Hey “Y” the bond is $2,500.00 not $250.00 . This stuff brings in alot of money in there. Maybe she needed the cash. Just saying.
@LEO:
No it is not our place to judge. God is the one the judges, and He forgives everyone for their mistakes, and it is not our place to try to fill His shoes. Her being caught means she will get punished, and that is not anyone’s place to determine the the law’s. People make mistakes, and are dealt with legally, as well as spiritually, and some do learn from their mistakes. One mistake does not lead to a life of “bad” things. Yes, she did wrong, and yes, she got caught, which to me is good because this will give her a chance to make a choice on how her future will be, but that in no way, shape, or form determines that she will continue to make bad decisions, as does it not determine that all folks in jail will make bad decisions once out of jail. Many folks go to jail or prison, and realize they do not want to go back. I know not all, but some do. A sin is a sin is a sin….she made a bad decision, she got caught, but she will be the one to determine if she will allow herself be put back in those type of circumstances in the future, not you, not I, and not society.
@ Y: I think the difference has to do with the items attempted to be smuggled into the prison. None of the items listed are not illegal to purchase and posses whereas the marijuana is both illegal to purchase and possess. I believe that is what makes the difference in the bond amount.
$250 bond…..that’s absolutely ridiculous! I can’t believe there’s so many different strokes for “different folk”! Just 2 or 3 days ago another young female tried the same thing at the same place and if my memory serves me right, her bond was significantly more for bringing in marijuana & this female had a whole “grocery bag” of stuff….what’s wrong with this picture? Not to mention she’s a staff member which should make her consequences even more severe simply because she had access & she knew better!
Sara is a very good friend of mine and I know her heart. She was not having any relationships with inmates and just made a bad decision that she will suffer with the rest of her life. This is between her and god. Prayers for my friend.
A real live rolling store. I havent seen one since I was twelve years old.
So what next take all the inmates the mall for a field trip?!?!
@ Sarah,
“nobody should judge anyone for anything”
Let me give you some good advice. Bad behavior is a great predictor of future performance. We all have to arrive at life decisions some way. What do you do, flip a coin? Good luck with that. :-/
Omgeez! ~ She broke the law, she got caught & went to jail~ whether she is a good person or not, why she did it or the color of the moon isn’t a factor….don’t judge her just because she sins differently from you…I’m glad she got caught.
I’ve known Sara a really long time, and this is disappointing but she knows she done wrong. The thing is, people make mistakes, which is why many are in jails and prisons in the first place. I am not saying I feel sorry for her, but I am saying nobody should judge anyone for anything. It is not our place to, and just because we’ve not done something similar, nobody is perfect nor is anyone able to say she did it for any particular reason. Prayers to Sara and her family while she gets through this, and hopefully it’s a lesson learned, for I am sure she will learn from this experience.
@ well if she knows she done wrong then she should be humble about it & take the heat & to 1 of the other posts nobody should take anything out of fear it’s not like they’re on the street to hurt they’re already in prison she knew that& knew what she was dealing with but take a cop or someone in public they don’t know who they’re dealing with she should be taking extra caution & as for a relationship with inmate who would want that they can’t have a future because even when they get out you’re gonna have to support them because they’re not gonna be able to get a good job therefore they will go back to their old habits . What woman wants to support a man sure it might be ok for you for awhile but it’ll get old.
One felony charge? I expect that this isn’t the first time she has smuggled in contraband… In this one instance — she was like a mobile convenience store for the thugs!
Whether or not she is nice isn’t the issue. She broke the law and contributed to prisoners doing things they aren’t allowed to do.
The people working here have a hard enough time with the inmates. They certainly don’t need this. So whether it is fear, money or true love that causes this type actions it just makes a bad environment worse for everyone else.
No sympathy here.
I would say 99% of contraband is brought in by staff. More often than not it is a female who thinks she has met her soul mate in an inmate. It starts out small and spirals out of control. Ladies who work in correctional facilities no good can come of having an affair with an inmate. If the feelings are real then they will be there still when they are released.
I have known Sara for a while i never would have thought she would do something like this. Working in that cafeteria was a great job for her it got her out of the pizza business. It’s hard to believe that she would do this. But she did and she knows she did wrong so no one judge her! Just saying that before people get started.