A former Warren County sheriff’s deputy faces a felony charge after he allegedly fondled a female inmate while transporting her back to the local jail.
The suspect, Alan Roberts, was indicted recently by the Sequatchie County grand jury on the charge of sexual contact with an inmate. He has turned himself in and is free on bond awaiting his day in a Dunlap courtroom. The indictment was rendered in Sequatchie County because lawmen believe that is where the incident happened while deputy Roberts was transporting the inmate back from Hamilton County.
According to Sheriff Jackie Matheny, Roberts was dismissed from his post after the incident was reported by the female inmate.
The case was then turned over to the TBI and the indictments were brought recently, several months after the incident which reportedly happened in the middle of last year.
Roberts was driving the female inmate back to Warren County Jail after the original transport unit, which was driven by a female deputy, broke down on its way from the Hamilton County facility.
Roberts was sent to pick up the inmate while the female deputy stayed with her broken down vehicle and accompanied the wrecker driver back to town.
Investigators believe Roberts inappropriately touched the female inmate while he was driving her back to Warren County. The female inmate reported the fondling a short time later and Roberts was confronted by his superiors.
His employment was immediately terminated by mutual agreement as a result of the allegations.
The crime of sexual contact with an inmate is a Class E Felony punishable by one to two years in prison.