A Fulton County detention officer is facing a dozen charges after she was allegedly recorded having “inappropriate behavior” with an inmate twice in the past few months, authorities said Wednesday.
Kawana Jenkins, 36, was arrested Monday after she was videotaped by a contraband cellphone seized during a recent shakedown at the jail, Fulton Sheriff Pat Labat said in a news release. Jenkins had been an employee of the sheriff’s office since December 2019. She was fired after authorities confirmed she was the person on the video, Labat said.
According to an arrest warrant obtained by The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, the shakedown occurred Jan. 28 between 5:20 a.m. and 7 a.m. in several inmate housing units. The contraband cellphone was one of 11 seized during the shakedown.
In the video, Jenkins was allegedly seen sitting on the lap of inmate and accused murderer Jamal Ward while licking and kissing his face. The video also shows Ward repeatedly saying “give ’em to me” as she hands him a pair of Cartier glasses, according to the warrant.
In March, another cellphone was confiscated from the jail, which allegedly showed Jenkins licking and sucking the finger of Ward while he was in custody. The incidents occurred sometime between December and March, according to the warrant.
Labat said he was committed to transparency and holding each employee accountable following her arrest. He said the actions of Jenkins didn’t reflect most men and women in the sheriff’s office.
“The vast majority of employees are to be commended for their integrity, commitment to service and the work they do day in and day out,” the sheriff said.
Jenkins is booked into the jail where she used to work. She is facing two counts of improper sexual contact by an employee or agent, five counts of violation of oath by a public officer, two counts of reckless conduct, two counts of cruelty to inmates, and one count of obtain/procure/give inmate prohibited item without authorization, the sheriff’s office said.
She was granted a $135,000 bond Tuesday, according to online records.
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