A Fulton County detention officer has been arrested after she allegedly had an “inappropriate” relationship with a male inmate, authorities said Saturday.
Latasha Baker, 37, is facing charges of possession of prohibited items by an inmate and violation of oath by a public officer, according to the Fulton County Sheriff’s Office. She was fired Friday and is now housed in the county jail without bond.
The prohibited items, which are “part of the active investigation,” were seized from Baker after she crossed the guard line, Sheriff’s Office spokesperson Natalie Ammons said. On the day of Baker’s arrest Thursday, Ammons said it wasn’t known if she had supplied them to inmates.
Credit: Fulton County Sheriff's Office
Credit: Fulton County Sheriff's Office
“I am committed to holding each and every employee accountable to the oath they have taken to protect and serve our community,” Sheriff Patrick Labat wrote in a statement. “The actions of this one officer are certainly not a reflection of the rest of the Fulton County Sheriff’s Office. The introduction of contraband to any of our facilities will not be tolerated.”
It was the second stint with the sheriff’s office for Baker, who was rehired in June and assigned to Union City’s South Fulton Annex. She was previously a detention officer from February 2016 to January 2022 but resigned, according to Georgia Peace Officer Standards and Training Council records.
The sheriff’s office said the investigation also led to the arrest of 20-year-old Jaheim Arnold. He is facing charges of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, possession of a firearm or knife during the commission of or attempt to commit certain crimes, and willful obstruction of law enforcement officers.
Ammons clarified that Arnold was not the person who Baker is accused of having an inappropriate relationship with. He is also being held without bond, according to the sheriff’s office.
— AJC data specialist Jennifer Peebles contributed to this article.
