A deputy jailer at Augusta’s Charles B. Webster Detention Center was arrested Wednesday after investigators say she smuggled food to an inmate and then lied to investigators about it.
What’s Happening: On June 28, detention staff found a brown fast-food bag with food remnants sitting inside an inmate’s cell. Supervisors checked the security cameras and saw Deputy Jailer Gwenedra Nelson carrying a brown paper bag and pushing it through the food flap into the cell.
The Interview: Investigators sat down with Nelson on Wednesday. She started by denying she had knowingly given food to the inmate. When investigators showed her the surveillance footage, she admitted she was the person on camera but said she didn’t remember putting the bag in the cell. She then acknowledged she had the bag with her before she stopped answering questions.
The Charges: Nelson faces two criminal charges: violation of oath of office and making false statements in a government matter. Violation of oath of office is a felony that applies when a public official breaks the law while doing their job. Making false statements in a government matter is a charge for lying to investigators during an official inquiry.
The Bigger Picture: Nelson’s arrest is the latest in a long line of cases involving Georgia jailers charged with breaking the law while on duty. In recent years, jailers across the state have faced charges ranging from smuggling drugs and contraband into facilities to sexually assaulting inmates. Arrests have been made in Bacon County, Richmond County, Clayton County, DeKalb County, Walton County, Paulding County, and Baldwin County.
What’s Next: The case is still an active criminal investigation. No additional details have been released.
At this point, the only difference between the guards and the inmates is who gets to clock out at the end of the day.
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B.T. Clark is an award-winning journalist and the Publisher of The Georgia Sun. He has 25 years of experience in journalism and served as Managing Editor of Neighbor Newspapers in metro Atlanta for 15 years and Digital Director at Times-Journal Inc. for 8 years. His work has appeared in several newspapers throughout the state including Neighbor Newspapers, The Cherokee Tribune and The Marietta Daily Journal. He is a Georgia native and a fifth-generation Georgian.
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