On Wednesday, following an investigation by the DeKalb County Sheriff ‘s Office and DeKalb County Drug Task Force, Belinda Sue Lewis (left), 49, of Rainsville, a former employee of Trinity Food Service, which is contracted to work in the kitchen of the DeKalb County Detention Center, was arrested for three counts of distribution of controlled substance and conspiracy controlled substance crime.
In connection with this arrest, two inmates, David Cooper, 44, of Valley Head, and Dustin McClain Ward, 31, of Aragon Ga., were also charged for conspiracy controlled substance crime and promoting prison contraband.
On Thursday, following about a two-month investigation by the DeKalb County Sheriff’s Office and Drug Task Force, Morgan McCurdy, 23, of Fort Payne, an employee of DeKalb County Detention Center and a former employee of Jackson County Detention Center, was arrested for unlawful possession of controlled substance and promoting prison contraband 2nd. Ms. McCurdy has been with the DeKalb County Detention Center for about a year as the licensed practical nurse in the jail’s medical department.
The jail staff has worked with the investigators and Drug Task Force many hours on this investigation. It all came to an end this week when investigators received It all came to an end last night when investigators received video surveillance information indicating there would be a drug drop in a restaurant parking lot to Ms. McCurdy.
Outisde the restaurant in question, undercover agents observed a male walking across the parking lot and handing Ms. McCurdy a package. As she left the restaurant, the agents followed her to the Fort Payne Walmart parking lot, where she was stopped and was transported back to the DeKalb County Sheriff’s Office for questioning.
K-9 Marianna and Deputy Akins were called to the scene where Marianna alerted on the vehicle Ms. McCurdy was driving. The package contained methamphetamine, prescription pills, a cell phone charger and two cans of tobacco. This was exactly what the investigators received on video and audio surveillance that Ms. McCurdy was supposed to deliver to an inmate in the jail.
This investigation is continuing. Ms. McCurdy has admitted her wrongdoing and is “real remorseful,” said investigators.
DeKalb County Sheriff Jimmy Harris commented: “I am so pleased for the work of the medical staff, corrections officers, investigators, deputies and K-9 unit. This is an embarrassment to us and the law enforcement professionals. The men and women at the sheriff’s office continue to fight the drug war every day and every night. For one of our employees that we have trusted, this is truly a disappointment to me and them that work hard every day here at the Sheriff’s Office. No one is above the law and it never has and never will been tolerated in my office.”
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