Charges Filed For Detention Officer Accused Of Smuggling Cell Phones

Contraband charges filed against a former Cleveland County detention officer have been dropped.

Court records show Landon Russell was initially charged with providing cell phones to inmates in December 2023. However, the Cleveland County District Attorney’s Office confirmed that the charges were dismissed after further investigation.

According to Russell's family, he underwent two polygraph examinations late last year and passed both.

**Original story is below**

A former Cleveland County detention officer, accused of smuggling contraband into the facility, was charged in December 2023, according to court documents.

Investigators said Landon Russell gave cell phones to inmates and was charged with possession of a cell phone or electronic device inside a penal institution. Russell began working at the jail in June 2023 and was arrested in November along with William Haddox, who is accused of bringing nicotine patches into the jail. Investigators suspect the patches were laced with a controlled substance.

In a news release from the Sheriff's Office, Cleveland County Detective Lt. Rick Adkins said investigators do not believe Haddox and Russell were engaged in the same activities.

"However, each was found to have violated both our policy and state statutes by bringing contraband into our facility,” Adkins said.

Sheriff Chris Amason said an internal administrative investigation was launched.

“It abuses the position of trust and compromises the integrity and safety of the Cleveland County Detention Center and surrounding community,” Amason said. “A detention officer must be held to a high standard of conduct, and I intend to hold them accountable.”