Franklin County Sheriff Zach Scott says he disciplined nearly a half dozen employees after a female prisoner was mistakenly released from jail before serving her full sentence.
Quanetta James was serving a two year sentence at the Franklin County Correction Center for identity fraud, but Scott says in early July, deputies released her by mistake. James was free for about two months before the jail caught the mistake. Scott says SWAT officers re-arrested James and the sheriff’s office launched an administrative, criminal, and procedural investigation.
Sheriff Scott says he found no weakness in the jail’s policy and no evidence of criminal behavior by his staff, but says he disciplined three deputies and two civilian jail employees who were still in training for failing to follow procedure.
A lieutenant in the jail was suspended for a day without pay. Two deputies and two civilian employees received letters of reprimand in their files.
“We have checks and balances in place for a reason to make sure things like this don’t happen,” said Sheriff Scott. “They didn’t do their job, so all of them were held accountable.”
The Franklin County Sheriff’s Office incarcerates about 35, 000 prisoners every year, and releases an average of 100 prisoners every day.
Sheriff Scott calls the current jail system “antiquated” and says his office is now taking bids for a new computerized jail system that could be in place as early as next year.
