Butts County jailer arrested for 'stupid' decision to smuggle contraband

Lexi Thompson. Courtesy of Butts County Sheriff's Office

A jailer with the Butts County Sheriff’s Office was arrested this week after allegedly smuggling contraband to an inmate, Sheriff Gary Long announced in a strongly worded statement condemning the betrayal of duty.

What we know:

Lexi Thompson, who had worked at the jail for approximately four months, is now facing two felony charges: providing contraband to inmates and violating her oath of office. According to Sheriff Long, Thompson received professional training and had signed an oath to uphold the law—an oath he says she knowingly violated.

What they're saying:

"She decided to violate the oath she took and provided contraband to a County inmate," Long said. "Her actions are what I like to call STUPID."

Thompson was taken into custody and is now being held without bond in the same jail where she was employed until just a day earlier.

Sheriff Long emphasized his commitment to holding his own staff accountable, noting that when he took office in 2013, he promised to police his own employees as aggressively as the community they serve.

"This job is hard enough without stupid law enforcement officers doing stupid things," he said. "In my professional opinion, any law enforcement officer who violates their oath is worse than most of my jail population. They didn’t take an oath—she did."

He added that law enforcement, like any profession, may have "a bad apple," but he praised his command staff for quickly identifying and addressing the issue.

"This should not define the rest of the brave men and women who serve this community with honor and integrity," Long said. "We truly have the best of the best."

What's next:

The investigation remains ongoing.

Butts CountyCrime and Public SafetyNews