Madison County Jail detention officer arrested on drug-related charges
Huntsville AL July 25, 2023 A Madison County Detention Center officer has been arrested on drug-related charges.
Tarmaine Edward Knight, 23, was charged with conspiracy to commit a controlled substance crime, distribution, and possession of marijuana.
According to a spokesperson with the Huntsville Police Department, NADTF agents learned Knight planned to smuggle narcotics into the Madison County Jail while working as a detention officer. Currently, HPD does not believe that Knight smuggled drugs into the jail.
The Madison County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO) said Knight had only been employed by the Sheriff’s Office for approximately 4 months when he was arrested. MCSO was made aware of the investigation and arrest on Friday and moved to immediately terminate his employment.
Madison County Sheriff Kevin Turner released this statement about the situation:
“The safety and security of the jail is priority for the Sheriff’s Office, and we work hard to prevent illegal contraband from entering the facility. Our employees are held to a very high standard when it comes to their conduct and behavior, and this type of behavior will never be tolerated as long as I am Sheriff. Unfortunately, this type of behavior overshadows all the good work done by our Detention Officers and jail staff on a daily basis, and I’m thankful for their commitment to doing the right thing. I stand behind Huntsville Police Department and the North Alabama Drug Task Force’s investigation and will continue to work to ensure our jail facility is as safe as possible”.
HPD is continuing to investigate and they say more charges are expected.
