PAULS VALLEY, Okla. (AP) — A Garvin County transport deputy has been fired after authorities said he had an inmate disguise himself as a fellow deputy and help transport U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement detainees.
The former deputy is accused of telling the inmate to wear a black windbreaker jacket and a deputy sheriff ball cap on April 11 before removing the inmate's restraints. According to jail inspection records from the state Health Department, the inmate helped handle detainees at the Immigration and Customs Enforcement Processing Center in Oklahoma City, and was left unattended without restraints at one point.
After the former deputy and inmate were done transporting the detainees, authorities said the inmate was allowed to sit in the front of the transport van.
The inmate reported the incident to the Garvin County jail administrator.
Garvin County Sheriff Larry Rhodes called the former deputy's actions "inexcusable." The Oklahoman (http://bit.ly/1UAyvKF ) reports that the he was fired April 14.
According to authorities, another deputy was driving from McAlester to help with the transportation but was told the situation was handled. Two deputies must be present during the transportation of detainees under the sheriff's office contract with the federal immigration agency.
Rhodes said he thinks that the former deputy did not want to wait for his fellow officer to arrive.
No state or federal charges have been filed against the former deputy.
"I'm embarrassed about it, I'm mad about it, and if I could have stopped it, if I would have been there, I can tell you it wouldn't have happened," Rhodes said.
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