Contraband intercepted at Calhoun State Prison; suspects arrested

MORGAN — In the early morning hours of May 20, Calhoun County Sheriff’s Officer Dexter Sapp was patrolling the grounds of Calhoun State Prison. Sapp spotted a suspicious vehicle on the grounds of the prison and requested assistance.

The deputy’s actions led to contraband being intercepted at the prison and suspects being captured.

“It is essential that we continue to stand united with our law enforcement partners who assist us with combating contraband inside the walls of our facilities,” Georgia Department of Corrections Commissioner Gregory C. Dozier said. “Working together, we were able to stop this contraband from entering Calhoun State Prison.”

GDOC officials said Calhoun County Sheriff Josh Hilton, along with Calhoun Prison officer James Dunn and Arlington police officer Lee Whitehead, arrived on the scene to assist — where the suspects were speeding away, throwing contraband from their vehicle when a pursuit ensued.

During the pursuit, the passenger, Victory Nnoroum, jumped from the vehicle and an officer gave chase and was able to apprehend him. After reaching speeds of 90 mph, Hilton and Sapp were able to box in the driver, Daniel Kim, on the side of the road, where he admitted his involvement with possessing contraband on state grounds.

The officers stated that the contraband consisted of one crossbow and arrow, 100 feet of plastic cord and five bundles that contained 9.4 ounces of marijuana, four phones and one charger. Nnoroum and Kim were taken into custody by the Calhoun County Sheriff’s Office without incident.

“It has been a pleasure to assist the Department of Corrections, GDOC Office of Professional Standards and the facility in keeping contraband out of the hands of offenders,” Hilton said.

In 2017, the GDOC began utilizing county sheriff’s officers to help with fighting contraband coming into its facilities. The sheriff’s officers assist Department of Corrections perimeter officer with patrolling the perimeter of the prison and surrounding areas in order to deter contraband from being thrown over or pushed under the fence, and also with apprehending the individuals involved in these crimes for criminal prosecution.

Jennifer Parks