Problems at Liberty County Jail

LIBERTY, April 12, 2010 – i-dineout.com reported last week the dismissal of Captain Charles Ridge working at the Liberty County Jail who is under investigation for having had sexual relations with female prisoners being held in the jail by the Liberty County Sheriff’s Office and US Marshalls.

See related story…

Former Jail Captain Terminated

This is an important incident in light of the arrest of a correctional officer working at the Liberty County Jail by US Marshalls on Thursday of last week in a separate unrelated incident.

These two incidents are also important because of the duties of a County Sheriff outlined in the Texas Code of Criminal Procedure below.

Art. 16.21. [265] [313] [301] DUTY OF SHERIFF AS TO PRISONERS. Every sheriff shall keep safely a person committed to his custody. He shall use no cruel or unusual means to secure this end, but shall adopt all necessary measures to prevent the escape of a prisoner. He may summon a guard of sufficient number, in case it becomes necessary to prevent an escape from jail, or the rescue of a prisoner. Acts 1965, 59th Leg., vol. 2, p. 317, ch. 722, eff. Jan. 1, 1966.

Reguardless of who operates the Liberty County Jail, it is the Sheriff’s responsibity under Texas Law to, “Keep safely a person committed to his custody, and to adopt all necessary measures to prevent the escape of a prisoner.”

Additionally the County Sheriff is responsible for the jail and for ensuring that it is in compliance with the Texas Commission on Jail Standards. In addition, the sheriff is responsible for the health and welfare of the prisoners and their personal property.

Thursday morning US Marshalls confronted Nicolus Taylor “Nic” Nelson, a correctional officer at the Liberty County Jail and arrested him for Smuggling Contraband into the Jail.

US Marshalls would not be specific about what the contraband was.

Nelson who lives in Liberty in the 2600 block of Cos Street, according to DPS Records was transported to Beaumont, TX by US Marshalls where he was placed in the Jefferson County Jail.

Nelson was charged in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Texas with Attempting to Provide Inmate Contraband. The judge who heard the complaint was US Magistrate Judge, Keith F. Giblin of Beaumont, Tx according to Court Records.

i-dineout.com first requested information concerning this latest incident involving Nelson by e-mail, Sunday afternoon of Public Information Officer Steve Green with LCSO. After waiting almost all day on Monday for a response, we called and left a message for Green, Monday afternoon. At press time, around 9:30 PM on Monday i-dineout.com has not received any response from Green or the Liberty County Sheriff’s Department concerning this matter.

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