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ANGOLA, La. — Deputies in West Feliciana Parish have arrested several Louisiana State Penitentiary at Angola employees since Saturday.

According to a news release from the state Department of Corrections, the allegations range from having inappropriate relationships with offenders, drug smuggling, and receiving money from offenders and offenders’ relatives.

Saturday, 24-year-old Kentricia Ware of 1746 Tenner Road, Natchez, Mississippi, admitted to having sex and an inappropriate relationship with an offender, and accepting $400 from that offender. West Feliciana Parish Sheriff’s Deputies booked Ware with felony malfeasance in office, sexual misconduct. Ware resigned during the investigation. She had been employed at Louisiana State Penitentiary as a cadet since October 2, 2017.

Saturday, during a routine employee shakedown, Louisiana State Penitentiary investigators discovered drugs and a large amount of cash in the vehicle of 20-year-old Tyleyiah Wrights of 1570 79th Avenue, Apt. 4, Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Detectives found 17.4 grams of synthetic marijuana and $1,071 in cash. Deputies booked Wrights with felony introduction of contraband. She resigned from Louisiana State Penitentiary. She had been employed with the prison since November 20, 2017.

Also on Saturday, prison administrators placed 21 year-old Kiaria Cruse of 1119 Homesville Road, #2, McComb, Mississippi, on administrative leave pending a disciplinary hearing after she became enraged, shoved chairs into walls, and shouted expletives as investigators were preparing to interview her concerning this past weekend’s investigations which resulted in several arrests and resignations. She has been employed with Louisiana State Penitentiary since September 19, 2016.

Sunday, 26-year-old Shaqueel Anderson of 712 Morris Smith Lane, Centreville, Mississippi, became confrontational and threatened officers when detectives questioned her about inappropriate behavior with an offender, after cameras captured her allowing an offender to place his nose in her chest. Anderson was a probational employee, who had worked at Angola since January 29, 2018. The Department released her from employment.

Monday, West Feliciana Sheriff’s Deputies booked 28-year-old Fredricka Ross of 4167 Highway 33, Crosby, Mississippi, with felony malfeasance in office. An investigation determined Ross accepted a cell phone from an offender’s relative, and used the phone to communicate with the offender. Detectives also determined the offender became jealous and slapped Ross after seeing her speaking with other offenders. Ross failed to report the incident or write up the offender. Ross had been an employee with the prison since April 4, 2016. She admitted to the crimes, and resigned during the investigation.

Also on Monday, deputies booked 22-year-old TiChina Williams of 9762 Highway 19, Wilson, Louisiana, with felony malfeasance in office, and she resigned. Williams admitted to investigators to kissing an offender, over time receiving $4,000 from that offender, and smuggling drugs into Angola. In addition, she had the offender’s name tattooed on her arm, and her name was tattooed onto the offender’s arm. She had been employed with the prison since August 21, 2017.

Five of the correctional officers held the rank of sergeant. Ware was a cadet.

The offenders involved were in violation of various offender rules, and were all placed in administrative segregation pending the outcome of the investigation.

More arrests are expected as the investigation continues.