Two former Decatur County Public Works employees were arrested last Friday and charged with illegally giving tobacco and marijuana to state inmates, according to the Sheriff’s Office.

Richard George Hill, 50, of 2681 Spring Creek Road, Bainbridge, was charged with providing contraband items to an inmate.

Aundra Demetrius Reels, 37, of 1109 E. Evans St., Bainbridge, was charged with providing contraband items to an inmate and possession of marijuana with intent to distribute.

Inv. Julian Crowder of the Decatur County Sheriff’s Office said the two men’s arrests came about after both the Sheriff’s Office and Decatur County Correctional Institute (DCCI) received information that inmates were being given prohibited items.

Hill is accused of giving an inmate a tin of tobacco, while Reels is accused of attempting to drop off marijuana for an inmate. Both were employed with Public Works, which routinely is assisted by DCCI inmates on work details, Crowder said. The investigation is ongoing and other arrests may be pending.

“Unfortunately, it is not uncommon for people to try and give tobacco, drugs, soda, money and other items to inmates at DCCI,” Crowder said. “However, it is something that both the prison and sheriff’s deputies are constantly looking out for.”

The investigator said people often try to leave items lying around in areas at offices where the inmates work, or alongside roads where they see inmates working.

“Unless the warden gives consent, it is illegal for anyone to give anything to inmates,” Crowder said.

Crowder is also investigating a separate case that involves contraband being given to inmates, but which is unrelated to Friday’s arrests.

On Feb. 14, a DCCI guard became suspicious of some of the inmates on his work detail bus and notified DCCI officials, according to Crowder’s incident report.

The report states the bus was found to contain cell phones and cell phone chargers, lighters, various forms of tobacco and smoking paraphernalia, plastic bags containing suspected marijuana, pornography and other miscellaneous items.

Anyone who has any information related to persons giving contraband items to inmates is asked to call the Sheriff’s Office at (229) 248-3044.