By Jessica Lipscomb
Naples Daily News
NAPLES, Fla. — Two Lee County correctional officers have been disciplined for giving jail inmates fried chicken, cold cuts and double cheeseburgers from McDonald’s.
The two deputies, Samantha Roberts and Brian Gauthier, were disciplined in separate incidents. Roberts has been fired and Gauthier was given a two-day suspension without pay.
In Roberts’ case, two of her co-workers discovered an unauthorized photograph in an inmate’s possession that led to the discovery about the smuggled food.
An investigation found that Roberts used her personal cellphone to take photos of two female inmates who requested a picture, then printed the photos for the women and sent them to their families, which is against policy. The inmates also said Roberts had given them McDonald’s double cheeseburgers and soda on more than one occasion.
Roberts allowed internal investigators to look at her phone, where they found a text from her saying she “messed up bad” and “never should have done it (taken the pictures, mailed them, and brought in cheeseburgers).”
The investigation also revealed that Roberts had been improperly communicating with a male inmate who is the father of her two children. Roberts was fired on July 9, according to Sheriff’s Office documents.
In a second case, investigators found that Deputy Brian Gauthier had given male inmates fried chicken and cold cuts from staff dining. In a recorded phone call, one of the inmates said that Gauthier was a “cool C.O.” who brought him blue raspberry juice, mayonnaise, ham and turkey.
In interviews with investigators, Gauthier denied the statements the inmate made on the phone but admitted to giving the inmates the leftover food trays and, on one occasion, a container of fried chicken.
Gauthier was suspended without pay on July 11 and 12.