TBI arrests three individuals for smuggling drugs and contraband into a Middle Tennessee County jail

Nashville, Tenn. – The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation today arrested three individuals, including a former correctional officer, on charges related to bribery and drug smuggling at the Maury County Jail. Last week, the Maury County grand jury returned a 19 count indictment against five subjects as a result of the investigation.

In April of 2011, the 22^nd Judicial District Attorney General requested TBI to investigate allegations of bribery and drug smuggling at the Maury County Jail. Working a covert operation between April 2011 and July 2011, the TBI, FBI and Maury County Sheriff’s Department found that Derek Turner, 37, of Mt. Pleasant, Tenn. who was employed as correctional officer at the jail was accepting cash payments as bribes to smuggle drugs and other contraband into the facility for two inmates who were incarcerated there during that time period. Those inmates, James Pierce, 40, and Benjamin Bradley, 35, were also indicted as a result of the investigation along with Bradley’s mother, Linda Chapman, 52, of Columbia, Tenn. and Pierce’s ex-girlfriend Melinda Buie, 40, of Mt. Pleasant, Tenn. Turner, Chapman and Buie were all arrested on the charges today. Pierce and Bradley are currently in prison on unrelated charges. Turner resigned from the Maury County Sheriff’s Department in July of 2011.

Turner was indicted on one count of official misconduct, one count of bribery of a public servant, one count of introduction of drugs into a correctional facility, one count of conspiracy to introduce drugs into correctional facility and one count of conspiracy to commit bribery of a public servant. He was booked into the Maury County Jail this morning on a $55,000 bond.

Pierce was indicted on one count of introduction of drugs into a correctional facility, one count of conspiracy to introduce drugs into a correctional facility, one count of bribery of a public servant and one count of conspiracy to commit bribery of a public servant. He is currently serving 19 years in the Tennessee Department of Correction.

Bradley was indicted on one count of bribery of a public servant and one count of conspiracy to commit bribery of a public servant. He is currently serving six years in the Tennessee Department of Correction on unrelated drug charges.

Chapman and Buie were each indicted on one count of introduction of drugs into a correctional facility, one count of facilitation to introduce drugs into a correctional facility, one count of bribery of a public servant and one count of conspiracy to bribe a public servant. They were both booked into the Maury County Jail this morning on $50,000 bond each.

Turner