DURHAM, N.C. (AP) - A North Carolina detention officer was fired and accused of bringing contraband into a detention center, officials said.
Terrence Tyrell Austin, 33, of Henderson, was charged with providing tobacco/vapor products to an inmate, news outlets reported.
The Durham County Sheriff’s Office said inmates at the Durham County Detention Facility were caught smoking cigarettes on Nov. 10.
Investigators discovered that Austin was smuggling the tobacco products into the facility and he was subsequently fired, the sheriff’s office said on Tuesday.
“Upon learning of the charges against Officer Austin, I made the decision to terminate him immediately,” Sheriff Clarence Birkhead said. “My office is accountable to the public the same way our officers are.”
The sheriff’s office said he posted a $1,000 bond. It’s unclear whether Austin had an attorney who would comment on his behalf.
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This story was first published on Dec. 9, 2020. It has been updated to correct that Terrence Tyrell Austin was a detention officer, not a correctional officer.
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