North Carolina jail officer fired for having sex with inmate

CHARLOTTE, NC (AP) — A North Carolina jail officer is facing criminal charges after she was fired for having sex with an inmate, a sheriff’s office says.

Mecklenburg County Sheriff Garry McFadden said jailer Karen Payton also provided the same inmate with tobacco, which is another violation, news outlets reported.

Payton, who was fired on Tuesday, is charged with engaging in a sexual act with a male inmate and providing a tobacco product to an inmate in custody. She had been with the sheriff’s office since 2019.

The Charlotte Observer reports that Payton is at least the fifth member of McFadden’s staff, and the second female detention officer, to be fired in the last five months for misconduct ranging from driving under the influence to reported fights with inmates.