By james art The Durham County Sheriff’s Office said it took disciplinary action against a detention officer and a civilian contractor Friday night.
According to Durham County Sheriff Clarence Burkhead, 45-year-old Nicole Locke, who was a sergeant at the detention center, was arrested Friday and charged with the following crimes.
- Two counts of criminal conspiracy
- One felony count of providing telephone/electronic devices to inmates
- One felony count
Deputies said Locke was released on $15,000 unsecured bail.
According to Locke’s arrest warrant, Locke provided cell phone components to an inmate in August.
While reviewing the arrest warrant, WRAL News discovered the inmate who received the cell phone is the same inmate accused of having sex with two former detention center workers.
Both former employees were charged, and WRAL News has not publicly identified the inmate.
A second person, Brianna Bowie, 31, a former nurse who worked at the detention center, was also arrested and charged with one count of conspiracy to sell a Schedule VI controlled substance.
In Bowie’s arrest warrant, Bowie is accused of bringing marijuana into the detention center and giving it to an inmate. At the time, the warrants said the inmate planned to sell the drugs at the detention center.
The sheriff said neither Locke nor Bowie are any longer affiliated with the detention center.
“I will not support any activity that conflicts with our mission in the care and custody of people who are incarcerated in County Durham Detention Center.” Whether it’s a sheriff’s office employee or a contractor,” he said in a statement provided to WRAL News. “We must hold everyone who interacts with our residents to a high standard.”