Wave of Staff Arrests Exposes Persistent Misconduct at South Carolina Jail
by Jo Ellen Knott
More than two dozen people have been charged following multiple criminal investigations at South Carolina’s Alvin S. Glenn Detention Center in Columbia, exposing widespread staff misconduct and pointing to persistent operational failures at a jail already cited for unconstitutional conditions.
Richland County Sheriff Leon Lott announced that James Lipscomb, 66, the jail’s safety and compliance director, was charged with obstruction of justice on June 30, 2026, for allegedly interfering with the investigation into the April 7, 2026, death of detainee Keith Bagley. Although Bagley died from ingesting synthetic drugs known as Spice or K2, jail officials reportedly failed to notify the coroner or sheriff’s office as required, and Lipscomb allegedly hampered the investigation.
A review of 62 criminal incidents dating back to December 2025 uncovered numerous cases that had never been investigated or reported, leading to charges against several guards. Jasmine Outing, 23, was charged with misconduct in office after allegedly being alone in an office with a male prisoner. Diamond Jackson, 36, faces misconduct in office and sexual misconduct charges involving allegedly smuggling contraband to a prisoner paramour. Sakinah Adams, 24, and Ashley S. Smith, 27, were charged with introducing contraband into the jail. Joydan Foust, 25, was charged with misconduct in office for allegedly using some of the narcotics he smuggled while on duty and accepting payments from prisoners for the rest. Paul Medlock, 30, faces third-degree assault and misconduct in office charges for an alleged use of excessive force and omitting his involvement from official incident reports.
Authorities also arrested Michael Simmons, 24, charging him with second-degree sexual misconduct and third-degree criminal sexual conduct of an unnamed detainee. Though she reported the abuse, jail staff delayed passing along her allegations to Lott for 12 days.
The arrests follow a 2024 U.S. Department of Justice finding that conditions at the jail violated detainees’ constitutional rights as well as a recent $4 million settlement over the 2022 death of Lason Butler. PLN covered the settlement regarding the gruesome death of Butler earlier this year. [See: PLN, May 2026, p.20.]
Source: WHNS Greenville
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