Working as a corrections supervisor generally means helping keep contraband out of a detention center, not finding creative ways to get it inside. The Darlington County Sheriff’s Office says former Sergeant Shift Supervisor Matrese Grant was arrested after investigators determined prohibited food items were concealed under a blanket and left somewhere an inmate could retrieve them.
Correction officers alerted the sheriff’s office on September 9 after discovering that contraband was illegally entering the W. Glenn Campbell Detention Center. Investigators ultimately identified Grant as the correction officer they believe was responsible for bringing the prohibited items inside.
According to deputies, Grant attempted to avoid facility cameras on September 7 by concealing the food beneath a blanket. The items were then placed in a location where an inmate could retrieve them, although the sheriff’s office has not provided additional details about what food was involved or identified the inmate.
Grant was suspended without pay on September 11 as the investigation continued before being terminated from her position six days later. The sheriff’s office says she was immediately arrested on September 17 on charges of misconduct in office and furnishing contraband to inmates.
Food Is Still Contraband Inside Detention Center
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The nature of the items might sound considerably less serious than the word “contraband” initially suggests, but Sheriff Michael August said there is a reason prohibited food is treated that way inside the facility. Weapons or other harmful materials can potentially be concealed inside food items, according to the sheriff’s office.
August reiterated his zero-tolerance policy for contraband following Grant’s arrest and said the rules apply to inmates, employees, and officers alike. Anyone discovered bringing prohibited items into the facility will face prosecution, according to the sheriff.
The department also described Grant as a former corrections officer in announcing the arrest, as her employment had already been terminated by the time she was taken into custody. The investigation remains active, and the sheriff’s office said additional information could follow.
Grant Receives $15,000 Bond Following Arrest
Grant was initially held at the same W. Glenn Campbell Detention Center, where she had worked while awaiting a bond hearing. In a September 18 update, the sheriff’s office said a Darlington County magistrate issued Grant a cash or surety bond totaling $15,000 across the two charges.
A check of the W. Glenn Campbell Detention Center’s online inmate website did not return information for Grant at the time of writing. That absence does not establish her current custody or release status, and the sheriff’s office’s bond update did not state whether Grant had posted the $15,000 bond.
For now, the sheriff’s office says Grant faces misconduct in office and furnishing contraband charges over what investigators describe as an attempt to conceal prohibited food from facility cameras for an inmate to retrieve. Those accusations remain pending, and Grant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.