By Sandra Barbier, River Parishes bureau
Copyright 2006 The Times-Picayune Publishing Company
Two St. Charles Parish sheriff’s deputies have been arrested on charges of malfeasance in office and introducing contraband into the parish jail after authorities say they smuggled marijuana, crack cocaine, Ecstasy, cigarettes and other items to inmates.
The deputies were correctional officers, Sheriff Greg Champagne said Thursday.
Shane Charles Saltaformaggio, 24, of 358 Evelyn Drive, Luling, was booked Wednesday with four counts of malfeasance in office and introducing contraband into a prison. Acosta Kittles Jr., 33, of 625 Vanderbilt Lane, Kenner, was booked on four counts of malfeasance in office and introducing contraband into a prison and one count of attempted introduction of contraband, a cell phone.
Champagne said both deputies were fired immediately after their arrests. Both had been deputies for four years.
The Sheriff’s Office began an investigation in February after getting information from employees at the Nelson Coleman Correctional Center in Killona that contraband was being smuggled into the facility.
Investigators homed in on the two deputies, who authorities said were smuggling in a variety of items to inmates in exchange for money paid to them by friends and family members outside the jail.
“We did surveillance,” which ended in a sting operation in which Kittles was to accept a cell phone and $300 from an undercover police officer in exchange for giving the phone to an inmate, Champagne said.
The undercover officer met with Kittles in a store parking lot in St. Charles Parish where the money and phone were handed over, Champagne said.
“He was en route home. We followed him and arrested him in his home,” he said. Deputies had the cooperation of the Kenner Police Department and the Terrebonne Parish Sheriff’s Office, Champagne said.
A search of Kittles’s car turned up 2 pounds of marijuana, he said.
“He said he was holding it for his cousin,” Champagne said. “We believe he was smuggling small amounts” into the jail, he said.
Kittles is wanted on a warrant in Jefferson Parish for possession with intent to distribute marijuana in connection with the seized drug.
Saltaformaggio was arrested Wednesday about 7:30 p.m. at the detective’s bureau, where he was called for questioning, Champagne said.
Both deputies worked during the day guarding inmates in the exercise yard. Each knew the other was smuggling and they may have worked together, Champagne said. Working in the exercise yard probably gave them greater opportunity to pass items to the prisoners, he said.
“It was probably in their pocket,” Champagne said. “We don’t search uniformed deputies.”
Investigators believe the smuggling had been going on since about November.
“There probably were several occurrences, mostly small amounts of marijuana” and other items, Champagne said.
The deputies were paid $30 to $200 for each delivery, Champagne said.
The two men are still being questioned to determine how they were able to carry out the deals, he said.
“We’ll take steps to minimize the opportunity for anyone to do this” in the future, Champagne said, but he said he wouldn’t penalize other employees.
The department has more than 300 good, honest employees, he said.
“We’re not going to throw the baby out with the bath water,” Champagne said.
Every employee goes through an extensive screening process before being hired, Champagne said. Each is subjected to a written examination, a background examination, drug testing and a psychological exam by experts in police work.
“Nothing in their background indicated they would be the type of person who would abandon their oath of office and resort to criminal activity,” he said.
“It is disappointing, even more, disgusting, when something like this happens,” Champagne said, but he said the department “cleaned our own house here. We’re not going to tolerate these types of instances.”
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Sandra Barbier can be reached at sbarbier@timespicayune.com or (985) 652-0958.