Santa Rosa County FL correction officers charged in contraband violations
SANTA ROSA COUNTY, Fla. November 26 2018 A month’s long investigation leads to the arrest of several employees at the Santa Rosa Correctional Institution.
In total, six people have been arrested in connection to the case. Four are employees at the prison, another is a former employee, and the last is a family member of a man incarcerated at the facility.
A cell phone recovered at the prison was the smoking gun. The phone, belonging to inmate Joshua Bauer, who was sentenced to life in prison for first degree murder, had thousands of text messages, calls, emails and photos.
According to an affidavit from the Florida Department of Corrections Office of the Inspector General, messages on the phone explicitly detail sexual relationships between Bauer and correctional officer trainee, Arielle Oberdier, as well as correctional officer Caitlyn Handley.
The phone also allegedly contained messages to correctional officer MiaMartinez-Welch about smuggling “molly” and methamphetamine into the prison – while discussing payment.
Correctional officer trainee Leslie Penrod is accused of accepting a $150 wire transfer from another inmate. According to the affidavit, Penrod says the money wasn’t payment for anything, but a threat.
Oberdier, Martinez-Welch, Penrod, Handley and Olivia Braswell facing charges including unlawful use of a two-way communication device, official misconduct and introduction of contraband into a state correctional institution.
Messages mentioning correctional officer Braswell, led to a search warrant and the discovery of notes – allegedly written between Braswell and another inmate.
Braswell’s finger prints were also found on an undisclosed item inside a cell.
Assistant State Attorney Greg Marcille says smuggling contraband can create major security issues within the prison.
“The issue of smuggling or contraband in the prisons have become a greater problem over the last few years,” said Marcille.
Marcille says the women may soon be facing additional charges.
“This situation may fall under the Rico Statute,” said Marcille. “Which is an enhanced punishment that we may be able to file in these cases.”
Joshua Bauer’s mother, Geraldine, was also arrested in connection to the case after 166 text messages were recovered allegedly linking her to the scheme.
Taken into custody in Wisconsin, Marcille says she will have to be extradited to northwest Florida.
“At this point she has not waived extradition, which means she has not agreed to extradition, and we may have to hold a hearing and go through a more formal process in order to bring her back,” said Marcille.
According to Marcille, cases involving contraband in prisons are fairly common – but not to this extent, and additional arrests are likely.
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