Burned records and massage chairs: Audit reveals major misspending by previous MDOC administration (Source: WMC Action News 5) By Jacob Gallant | December 17, 2020 at 12:01 PM CST - Updated December 17 at 12:41 PM
JACKSON, Miss. (WLBT) - An audit completed this week shows a number of monetary violations done by the former administration overseeing Mississippi Department of Corrections.
White says the uncovered misspending led to significant losses for taxpayers. The violations all took place from July 1, 2017, through December 31, 2019. They include:
Burned or destroyed accounting records
Illegal “comp time” buyouts for agency leaders
Improper travel reimbursements to the former MDOC commissioner and to a member of the State Parole Board
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In this Sept. 17, 2018 file photo, Pelicia Hall, Mississippi Department of Corrections Commissioner. speaks before a meeting of the Joint Legislative Budget Committee Fiscal Year 2020 hearing in Jackson, Miss. Credit: Rogelio V. Solis, Associated Press
Former Mississippi Department of Corrections Commissioner Pelicia Hall and her administration mishandled thousands of dollars in public funds, according to a report the state auditor’s office released on Thursday.
The 31-page compliance report was requested by current MDOC Commissioner Burl Cain and Gov. Tate Reeves, who has publicly alluded to prior corruption within the agency. It audits MDOC for the period of July 1, 2017 to Dec. 31, 2019, revealing hundreds of thousands of dollars spent in illegal comp time buyouts and thousands of dollars spent in improper travel reimbursements.
Ankle monitor leads to arrest of group who attempted to smuggle wings, drugs into prison Keisha Rowe, Mississippi Clarion Ledger
Today in History for December 15th
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A disabled electronic ankle bracelet led to the arrest of a group of people accused of trying to smuggle marijuana and chicken wings, among other items, into the South Mississippi Correctional Institution.
According to a news release from the Mississippi Department of Corrections, Christopher Naje Wilson, 18, and two others threw footballs containing 25 packages of food and drugs over an 18-foot fence in the early morning hours of Dec. 7. The group then left in a stolen vehicle.
Three teens arrested after weed and wings smuggled into SMCI Richland police arrested 18-year-old Christopher Naje Wilson (left), 19-year-old Fredric James Roberson (center), and 18-year-old Keshun Chambers. MDOC officials said the trio will be charged with drug possession, trafficking, and introducing illegal contraband into a prison. (Source: Mississippi Department of Corrections) By WLOX Staff | December 15, 2020 at 5:08 PM CST - Updated December 15 at 5:09 PM
LEAKESVILLE, Miss. (WLOX) - A teenager out on bond is going back to jail after he threw marijuana, phones and chicken wings into a prison, authorities said.
According to MDOC, 18-year-old Christopher Naje Wilson and his friends threw 25 packages over the 18-foot razor fence at the South Mississippi Correctional Institute around 1:30 a.m. Dec. 7. The packages included modified footballs containing four pounds of marijuana, 38 cellphones and seven pounds of barbecued chicken wings.
Bettye Bell talked to her son, Charoyd Bell, on the phone for just five minutes before he had to hang up.
During the Sept. 28 phone call she took from her home in Natchez, Bettye Bell learned from her son, who is currently incarcerated at the East Mississippi Correctional Facility (EMCF) in Lauderdale County, that the prison was on lockdown due to some people in his unit testing positive for COVID-19.
According to her son, a lockdown doesnât mean much.
âTheyâre not able to social distance that Iâm aware of. Theyâre all co-mingled, be they have (COVID-19) or not. So thatâs not safe,â Bettye Bell said. âI donât know that (EMCF officials) are doing anything extra in terms of providing medicines or whatever to help. I canât say that theyâre doing any of that. All I can tell you is as a mom, itâs very stressful.â