A corrections officer at the Carter County Detention Center has been fired after an investigation into a report that an inmate was assaulted.
Carter County Sheriff Chris Mathes said Friday afternoon that Corrections Officer Chancelor Presnell was terminated after the investigation into an Aug. 10 incident. Mathes said Presnell, who had worked with the department as a corrections officer for about 9 months, was dismissed from employment due to violations of department policy and procedures for unbecoming conduct, misconduct with inmates, excessive force resulting in an injury, non-reporting of a use of force incident and departure from his work zone without authorization.
“A criminal investigation is being conducted and criminal charges are currently being compiled against Presnell,” Mathes said in a released statement, adding the charges would likely be presented to the grand jury in September. “Allegations surrounding this incident involve an inmate who made sexual and inappropriate remarks to a female corrections officer, which was subsequently followed by the inmate being assaulted by Presnell in retaliation.
“Sometimes even the best officers can have poor judgment, but never can these types of actions be tolerated as proper inmate disciplinary procedures are in place but were clearly not followed in this case by the employees,” he added.
Mathes said the investigation is ongoing.