As the Mississippi Department of Corrections continues Operation Zero Tolerance, Kemper-Neshoba County Regional Correctional Facility in DeKalb was the scene of the latest shakedown early Wednesday morning.
This is a press release
Officers saturated the facility to the surprise of sleeping inmates. They seized contraband including 25 cellphones, 18 cellphone chargers, five cellphone batteries, five pairs of earbuds, 66 bags of tobacco ranging in size from small to large, 58 small packs of marijuana and spice, one medium bag of spice, three large packs of suspected spice and marijuana, and 17 pills.
Also, a large amount of canteen items were confiscated from one inmate for their possible use for extortion.
“Considering the shakedowns are widely known by now, I was hoping that we would not find a lot of illegal items,” Commissioner Pelicia E. Hall said. “But this isn’t an excessive amount compared to other places. I am also pleased to hear that the warden at this facility also was not happy about what was found because he understands our zero tolerance for contraband.”
Kemper-Neshoba Regional can house up to 355 inmates; there were 347 inmates in the facility when the shakedown occurred.
Commissioner Hall started the shakedowns in March to stem the flow of contraband in the prison system for the safety of staff and inmates.
Other shakedowns have occurred at the following facilities: Marion-Walthall County Regional Correctional Facility, Issaquena County Regional Correctional Facility, Jefferson County Regional Correctional Facility, Harrison County Community Work Center, George County Community Work Center, Chickasaw County Regional Correctional Facility, Alcorn County Regional Correctional Facility, Winston-Choctaw County Regional Correctional Facility, Bolivar County Regional Correctional Facility, Washington County Regional Correctional Facility, Stone County Regional Correctional Facility, George County Correctional Facility, South Mississippi Correctional Institution, Hinds County Restitution Center, Carroll-Montgomery County Regional Correctional Facility, Wilkinson County Correctional Facility, East Mississippi Correctional Facility, Marshall County Correctional Facility, Yazoo County Regional Correctional Facility, and Holmes-Humphreys County Regional Correctional Facility.
