LENOIR COUNTY, N.C. (WITN) – Two employees of the Lenoir County Jail have been arrested and charged with smuggling drugs to inmates, authorities said.
According to the Lenoir County Sheriff’s Office, Shaniqua Reed, 37, a medical technician from Magnolia, and LaDarius Hines, 26, a detention officer from Kinston, face multiple charges related to drug distribution within the facility.
Investigators revealed that Reed was caught bringing drugs into the jail while reporting for work on Wednesday. Although Hines was not present that day, evidence showed that he had conspired to distribute drugs to inmates.
Charges and Bonds
Reed has been charged with:
Two felony counts of possession of a controlled substance in a prison/jail
Felony conspiracy
Delivering a Schedule VI controlled substance
Conspiracy to sell a Schedule VI controlled substance
Providing contraband to an inmate
She was booked into the Lenoir County Jail with a $35,000 secured bond.
Hines is facing charges of:
Felony conspiracy
Felony conspiracy to sell and deliver a Schedule VI controlled substance
His bond was set at $10,000 secured.
Both suspects are being held at the Lenoir County Jail.
Sheriff’s Statement
Lenoir County Sheriff Jackie Rogers expressed disappointment over the arrests, emphasizing that law enforcement officers and staff take an oath to uphold the law.
“This is extremely disappointing for both the medical provider and for me as your Sheriff,” Rogers stated. “We take an oath of office and swear we will not tarnish ourselves or bring dishonor to our profession. This case serves as an example that we will not tolerate this type of behavior and will prosecute offenders to the fullest extent of the law.”
The investigation remains ongoing.
