By C1 Staff
GULFPORT, Miss. — An investigation is now underway after allegations of an inmate work crew being used for a private event surfaced.
According to The Sun Herald, inmates working to set up tents for a Humane Society fundraiser at the Great Southern Golf Course were allegedly told to also set up a tent for a couple’s wedding occurring nearby. They later also dismantled the tent.
Inmates are allowed to provide free labor for city, county or state agencies and charitable groups, but not for private events.
The issue started with what is being called a “honest mistake:” it was the golf club’s first wedding, and a golf course worker who typically gives requests for tents for fundraisers and charities asked for one for the wedding as well.
The person overseeing the inmate work crew, Pete Harper, allegedly gave the go ahead for the tent to be set up. Harper’s supervisor is denying knowledge of the request, saying the tent was already up by the time he heard about it.
He ordered for it to be taken down immediately and has put procedures into place to ensure this type of issue doesn’t happen again.