By Jim Wallace - bio | email
ALBANY, GA (WALB) –A Dougherty County Jail Detention Officer is in jail himself tonight.
He and his brother were arrested Tuesday night accused of selling prescription drugs to an undercover officer.
Now the Sheriff's Office is investigating to see if the jailer sold drugs to inmates or other jail employees.
Drug agents say 26 year old Granvil Smith had his younger brother, his one year old child, and the baby's mother all in the car when he sold prescription pills to an undercover officer. Now Sheriff's Investigators are looking into whether he was selling pills inside the jail walls.
At noon District Attorney Investigators told Albany Dougherty Drug Agents and Sheriff's Office Investigators they heard Detention Officer Granvil Smith was trying to sell xanax and oxycontin.
A.D.D.U. Commander Major Bill Berry said "Around mid afternoon we put surveillance on this man."
A buy was set up at the KFC on Oglethorpe, just blocks from the Law Enforcement headquarters.
Berry said "The undercover officer purchased 35 xanax and 35 oxycontin from this person in the parking lot, and as that transaction was complete, agents from the drug unit, sheriff's office, and D.A.'s office moved in and made the arrest."
A customer in the parking lot collided with one of the drug agent cars as the arrest went down, but no one was hurt. Inside the car with Smith, his 24 year old younger brother, his one year old child and the baby's mother.
Smith confessed, and Sheriff Kevin Sproul fired him immediately.
Sproul said "Granvil is facing several years for these charges now. As detention officers, as law enforcement officers, we're held to a higher standard. And I expect nothing less than that."
Smith oversaw the feeding, medical care, and housing control of inmates, and Sheriff Sproul said there is a chance that Smith sold drugs inside the jail.
Sproul said "What we are looking at now, in the most recent days and months, what areas of the jail he has worked in. And who, as you asked, which inmates that had possible issues with prescription medication, and if he has had any direct contact."
The jail has video surveillance, and Investigators are going over the last 21 days of video to watch Smith's every move. Smith is being held in isolation in the jail, to keep him safe from other inmates.
Granvil Smith has been a jailer for about a year and a half. He is charged with violating his oath of office as a law enforcement officer, and could face up to 15 years in prison if convicted.
Drug agents say the undercover officer paid Smith 700 dollars for the 70 prescription drug pills.
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