A former corrections officer with the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office has been arrested on charges of smuggling contraband into the Cherokee County Detention Center. The Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office conducted an internal investigation on 58-year old Omar Patterson who was on duty as a corrections officer. It was found that Patterson smuggled tobacco and other items into the Detention Center (jail) while he was on duty.

Omar Patterson was terminated from his  job as a correction officer immediately after the investigation was thorough and completed. Patterson was booked into the Cherokee County detention center this morning.

“This is extremely disappointing,” Sheriff Shaver says. “We are public servants, and we take an oath to uphold the law. I expect all of my staff to work with integrity and I won’t tolerate anything less.”