Richland County jail guard arrested, accused of smuggling cigarettes inside of chip bags
An Alvin S. Glenn Detention Center guard was arrested Wednesday and accused of smuggling cigarettes into the jail. She is the second officer at the Richland County jail to be arrested in a week.
Antiona Walker, 25, was charged with misconduct in office and furnishing contraband to a prisoner. The Richland County Sheriff’s Department reported that on Jan. 4, an investigator received a report from the jail that Walker was searched after allegedly leaving her post without permission or even the knowledge of her supervisor. When she returned to a break room, supervisors searched Walker, along with several bag of chips and a fountain drink cup that she had brought with her.
A search of the bags of chips revealed a pack of Newport cigarettes in each bag, officials said. A sheriff’s department incident report also described how her supervisors smelled alcohol “emitting” from the fountain drink cup.
The supervisor then conducted an interview, captured on body camera, with Walker where she admitted to bringing in the cigarettes, according to the incident report.
Last week, another guard, Amara Brown, was arrested and accused of delivering a takeout meal from DoorDash to an inmate. Brown was also charged with misconduct in office and furnishing contraband to a prisoner.
Last year, the Richland County Sheriff’s Department announced the arrest of nine guards at the Alvin S. Glenn Detention Center.
Walker will be booked into the Alvin S. Glenn Detention Center.