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Tennessee: Theft, Misconduct Charges Pending Against Former Jail Supervisor, Son

A father and son have been charged with misconduct and theft for inappropriate conduct with prisoners and double-billing supervision over a work crew from a Tennessee jail.

According to Police Chief Mark Sirois, the Johnson City Police Department began an internal investigation in October 2012 involving prisoner work details. The investigation was launched after David Garland, 40, a part-time employee with the city’s Parks and Recreation department, returned a crew of female prisoners he supervised to the jail and the prisoners were visibly intoxicated.

It was discovered that not only had Garland allowed the prisoners to smoke and drink while on the work detail, but he was involved in an inappropriate relationship with one of the prisoners. Further inquiry found that Garland had logged hours with the city amounting to more than $10,000 while also working as a public safety officer for East Tennessee State University.

Investigators then focused their attention on Garland’s father, Samuel Garland, 60, who was the superintendent of the Johnson City jail. They learned that while employed at the jail he had billed the local Boys and Girls Club for supervising a prisoner work crew; between 2004 and 2012, the Boys and Girls Club paid him more than $60,000.

“At the first sign of something being wrong, we looked into it and that’s what started the ball rolling,” Sirois said. After the police department uncovered misconduct, the local district attorney general, Tony Clark, contacted the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation.

David Garland resigned in October 2012. A month later his father retired as the jail’s superintendent, a position he had held since 1996; he was once named jail administrator of the year.

In early November 2013, a grand jury indicated Samuel Garland on a charge of theft over $60,000. His son was charged with theft over $10,000 and two counts of official misconduct. Both turned themselves in and were released on bond.

Samuel Garland was scheduled to go to trial on February 22, 2016 following repeated delays, but the trial was postponed “after attorneys agreed there was more paperwork to go through to determine how much money was allegedly stolen,” according to the Johnson City Press. His trial has been rescheduled for July 2016, while prosecutors said David Garland will plead guilty to the official misconduct charges following a September 2016 trial on the theft charge.

Sources: Associated Press, www.tricities.com, www.johnsoncitypress.com

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