A former sergeant at a Spartanburg County prison is facing criminal charges after state corrections officials said she had a sexual relationship with an inmate.
Dezoray Nichole West, 25, of Spartanburg, is charged with first-degree sexual misconduct with an inmate and misconduct in office, according to a news release from the South Carolina Department of Corrections (SCDC). She was arrested on Tuesday, Nov. 10.
West worked as a correctional sergeant at Tyger River Correctional Institution, a medium-security prison for men in the Enoree area.
According to SCDC, the relationship lasted from April to June. Arrest warrants say the two had sex on more than one occasion. Investigators said they found romantic and sexual messages on West’s personal phone and on a contraband phone taken from the inmate.
Officials also accuse West of failing to report contraband, sending money to the inmate, falsifying an incident report and giving him prison security information that could help him avoid being caught.
Jail records show West was booked into the Spartanburg County Detention Center and released the same day. Her bond amount was not available.
It is not clear whether West resigned or was fired. The inmate has not been publicly identified, and officials have not said whether he will face charges.
Charges are accusations. West is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.
Source: The State
