MACON, Ga. — An inmate was caught causing damage to Bibb County Law Enforcement Center, according to the Bibb County Sheriff's Office. It comes as renewed attention has been thrown on the jail and its conditions since four inmates escaped from the facility in the early hours of Oct. 16.
In an email to 13WMAZ, the sheriff's office said they had an inmate "that was heard causing damage to the jail."
They say it was "caught quickly" and describe it as "very minor damage."
Because of the amount of damage, they told us that there may not be an incident report, but they would check on Monday.
Back in September, several families were protesting the conditions in the Bibb County Jail, including nearly 24-hour lockdowns and pest issues.
But those conditions - according to then Major in charge of Corrections Eric Woodford - were the result of the inmate's own behavior.
They say that there were "numerous safety violations by inmates" which caused them to place restrictions on the commissary store, lockdown in the jail, and the eating of Nutraloaf for every meal, every day. That was for inmates who were involved in disciplinary actions.
In an email, he painted a picture of a jail where inmates would throw feces, food, and urine on the floors and deputies. He said it threw a wrench in their efforts to manage pests like rats and roaches. They already had a contract with a pest control company to provide monthly pest control for the entire facility.
According to Woodford, inmates causing damage to the jail was a persistent problem at the time.
"Trustees, Maintenance Department and Deputies are snaking and repairing plumbing daily due to inmates flushing varies [sic] items down the toilets, and in the shower drains," he said in a press release. "Disciplinary restrictions were put in place to curtail the disruptive behavior of inmates and will remain in place until the inmate’s behavior improves."
Since September when it was first reported, conditions at the jail have become a much larger issue after four inmates escaped from the Bibb County Jail, including calls from Mayor Lester Miller to put a new jail on the next SPLOST.
Two of the inmates who escaped from the jail — Marc Anderson and Chavis Stokes — have been caught and returned to the Bibb County Law Enforcement Center.
Still on the run are Joey Fournier who was in jail on murder charges, and Johnifer Barnwell who was convicted on drug trafficking charges and could face up to life in prison.
Davis has said that they've made repairs to the facility and a steady stream of contractors have been in and out of the jail in the weeks since the inmates escape.
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