NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — A former Nashville-Davidson County Sheriff’s Office Facility Officer has been arrested for his involvement in the introduction of drugs into Nashville's jail system.
The investigation, which began a year ago, led to the indictment of five people, three inmates, one civilian and former Davidson County Sheriff’s Office employee Charles Kelley.
Detectives began looking closely at the jail system after an autopsy of an inmate was found unresponsive in September 2023, dying of acute fentanyl toxicity.
The investigation revealed that one inmate, 30-year-old Emmanual Webb reportedly worked with 28-year-old Devin Popejoy to get drugs into the facilities. Popejoy allegedly set up drug-related conference calls among other things.
Webb and Popejoy were indicted in July on felony meth and fentanyl charges.
Other inmates named in the indictment are 28-year-old William Sigsby and 38-year-old Joshua Young who are both charged with conspiracy to commit second-degree murder, engaging in a fentanyl conspiracy, fentanyl delivery, delivering contraband, and conspiracy to introduce contraband into a penal facility.
27-year-old Matthew Calhoun, a former Davidson County inmate who is now being housed at the state’s Bledsoe County Correctional Facility, is also charged in the new indictment.
Kelley, the former facility officer is facing charges of conspiracy to commit second-degree murder, engaging in a fentanyl delivery conspiracy, fentanyl delivery, conspiracy to deliver contraband into a penal facility, and delivering contraband.
He was employed by the Rutherford County Sheriff's Office at the time of his arrest.
The Nashville-Davidson County Sheriff’s Office said in a statement that "this serious breach of trust and security undermines the integrity of our facility and the safety of both inmates and staff."
The former officer, who served with the department for less than one year, has been charged with conspiracy to commit second-degree murder-drug distribution, delivery of a controlled substance – fentanyl, and introduction of contraband in a penal institution. The investigation revealed that he played a role in the introduction of drugs into our jail, along with several others who were also charged.
“This individual’s actions are a grave betrayal of the trust placed in them by this community and our department," said Sheriff Daron Hall. "We are committed to ensuring that those who are supposed to uphold the law are held accountable for their actions. We will continue to pursue and prosecute anyone involved in such criminal behavior with the full extent of the law.”
Do you have more information about this story? You can email me at kelly.broderick@newschannel5.com.
Fostering Hope provides Christmas for kids in foster care. I'm delighted to see Fostering Hope expand this year to expand their reach to now include kids in Foster care in metro AND foster kids in East TN hard hit by Helene.
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