COLUMBIA, S.C. — Richland County Sheriff's Department (RCSD) investigated an incident at Alvin S Glenn Detention Center in Columbia after a contraband cell phone was discovered during a routine cell check.
A detention center office conducting the check on detainee's cells found the phone. RCSD was immediately contacted and an internal investigation was launched. Investigators determined Detention Officer Bianca Canty received payment in exchange for smuggling the phone into the facility. Canty has since been placed on administrative leave without pay, pending termination and booking into Alvin S Glenn for misconduct of office.
There have been a number of incidents involving detainees at Alvin S Glenn this month:
- A detainee escaped the county jail on July 11 and was recaptured on July 12, while another detainee attempted to escape on July 17 but was found inside Alvin S Glenn
- One detainee died after presenting in an "alerted mental state" on July 17
Richland County, the entity responsible for the operations at the Alvin S Glenn facility, said in a statement that it will "work diligently in collaboration with the Richland County Sheriff’s Department to ensure anyone on staff or in custody at ASGDC who violates the law is held accountable."