A Georgetown County Detention Center employee has been arrested and charged after an inmate confessed to a relationship with her.
A press release from the Georgetown County Sheriff’s Office says 36-year-old Kimberly Gibbs, a correctional officer with the GCDC, was arrested on Friday afternoon on charges of sexual misconduct with an inmate, misconduct in office, furnishing contraband to an inmate, and obstructing justice.
An investigation began around noon on Wednesday when officials with the Georgetown County Airport notified officials with the detention center about the discovery of a cell phone in the ceiling of the bathroom in one of the airport’s hangars, according to the release. At this time, it was alleged that the cell phone may have been placed in the ceiling by one of the state inmate workers assigned to the airport.
“Information supporting the suspicion and discovery of the cell phone came when a pilot observed a suspicious vehicle parked near one of the hangars,” the report says. As the pilot began to approach the vehicle, the driver left the property in a “suspicious manner.” The pilot then approached the bathroom and tried to enter, but found it was occupied by the inmate. The pilot notified the airport manager and a search of the bathroom was conducted, where ceiling tiles were “discovered to be disturbed.”
Airport officials expanded their search to the ceiling, where the cell phone was found, according to the report.
“As a result of expanding the search to the area immediately outside the hangar, a second cell phone was also found,” the report also says.
The inmate involved was “immediately returned to the detention center, where he was questioned about his involvement with the cell phones and the suspicious vehicle,” the report states. The inmate initially denied any knowledge about the cell phone and the vehicle, but when he was questioned later in the day, he “claimed responsibility for one of the two cell phones.”
On Thursday morning, the investigation continued to try to find the driver of the vehicle, the report says. During this investigation, the cell phone “the inmate claimed ownership of” received a new message. Upon review, it was found the message had been sent by Officer Gibbs from her cell phone while she was working.
According to the report, Gibbs was “relieved of duty” shortly after the message was received and interviewed by sheriff’s office investigators. She was placed on paid administrative leave.
On Thursday afternoon, investigators “interrogated the inmate who was cooperative,” the report says. The inmate “confessed to his relationship with Officer Gibbs within the detention center, claimed ownership of both cell phones found at the airport, claimed knowledge of the female in the suspicious vehicle, and how he was able to gain access to the cell phones.”
As a result of the “interrogation,” investigators learned “Officer Gibbs and the inmate, on multiple occasions, performed sexual acts within the detention center,” that Gibbs was “the recipient of the cellphones via mail and provided the phones to the inmate by leaving them in a preplanned location on airport property,” and that Gibbs was “receiving compensation through electronic means from various unknown individuals associated with the inmate.”
On Friday afternoon, Gibbs met with investigators and “admitted to the majority of allegations resulting from the interrogation of the inmate,” the release says. She was arrested, taken to the detention center, and terminated from her job while awaiting a bond hearing.
The female driving the vehicle was identified and no state criminal violations were identified, states the release.
Officer Gibbs employment started at the center in March of 2015,
An investigation is ongoing.
